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LIFOR 


IFORN 


'AS  THEY   CLIMBED   UP  THEY   WERE  CONFRONTED   BY   FULLY 
A   HUNDRED   ARMED   MOORS." 


BY  CONDUCT  AND  COUKAGE 


A  STORY   OF  NELSON'S  DAYS 


BY 


G.  A.  HENTY 

Author  of 

;With  Roberts  to  Pretoria,"  "With  Buller  in  Natal,' 
"  With  Kitchener  in  the  Soudan,"  etc. 


ILLUSTRATED  BY   WILLIAM  RAINEY,   R.I. 


NEW  YOKK 

CHAELES  SCRIBNEK'S  SONS 
1904 


of 


COPYUIGHT,   1904,   BY 

CHARLES  SCR1BNER  S  SOJSS 


Published,  September,  1904 


GIF- 


H55 


PUBLISHERS'  NOTE 

Mr.  George  A.  Henty,  who  died  in  November,  1902, 
had  completed  three  new  stories,  With  the  Allies  to  Pekin, 
Through  Three  Campaigns,  and  By  Conduct  and  Courage. 
Of  these,  Through  Three  Campaigns  and  With  the  Allies 
to  Pekin  were  published  in  the  autumn  of  1903;  the 
present  story  is  therefore  the  last  of  Mr.  Henty  's  great 
series  of  historical  stories  for  boys. 

The  proofs  have  been  revised  by  Mr.  G.  A.  Henty  's 
son,  Captain  C.  G.  Henty. 


M7234L03 


CONTENTS 


CHAPTER  PAGE 

I.  AN  ORPHAN     .........  1 

II.  IN  THE  KING'S  SERVICE 22 

III.  A  SEA-FIGHT 44 

IV.  PROMOTED 65 

V.  A  PIRATE  HOLD 87 

VI.  A  NARROW  ESCAPE Ill 

VII.    AN  INDEPENDENT  COMMAND    ......   129 

VIII.  A  SPLENDID  HAUL 150 

IX.   A  SPELL  ASHORE    ........  171 

X.  BACK  AT  SCARCOMBE 190 

XI.  CAPTIVES  AMONG  THE  MOORS  .....  206 
XII.  BACK  ON  THE  "TARTAR" 228 

XIII.  WITH  NELSON 244 

XIV.  THE  GLORIOUS  FIRST  OF  JUNE        .....  259 
XV.   ESCAPED 278 

XVI.    A  DARING  EXPLOIT 295 

XVII.    ON  BOARD  THE  "JASON" 316 

XVIII.    ST.  VINCENT  AND  CAMPERDOWN 337 

XIX.    CONCLUSION  .  358 


ILLUSTRATIONS 

"As    THEY    CLIMBED    UP    THEY    WERE    CONFRONTED    BY    FULLY    A 

HUNDRED   ARMED    MOORS  ".....    Frontispiece 

FACING 
PAGE 

AFTER  HIS  FIRST  FIGHT 54 

WILL  LEADS  A  PARTY  TO  TAKE  THE  ENEMY  IN  THE  REAR  .        .   100 
THE  RESCUE 146 

TOM    AND    DlMCHURCH   MADE   A    DESPERATE    DEFENCE    .  .  .    182 

"  HE     ORDERED     THE     MAN    AT     THE     HELM     TO     STEER     FOB     THE 

FRIGATE" 276 

"HE   WAS   JUST   IN   TIME   TO    SEE   LuCIEN   ALIGHT"  .  .  .    302 

AT  LAST  HER  CAPTAIN  WAS  COMPELLED  TO  STRIKE  .  346 


BY  CONDUCT  AND  COURAGE 


CHAPTEK    I 

AN   ORPHAN 

A  WANDERING  musician  was  a  rarity  in  the  village 
of  Scarcombe.  In  fact,  such  a  thing  had  not  been 
known  in  the  memory  of  the  oldest  inhabitant. 
What  could  have  brought  him  here  ?  men  and  women  asked 
themselves.  There  was  surely  nobody  who  could  dance  in 
the  village,  and  the  few  coppers  he  would  gain  by  perform- 
ing on  his  violin  would  not  repay  him  for  his  trouble. 
Moreover,  Scarcombe  was  a  bleak  place,  and  the  man 
looked  sorely  shaken  with  the  storm  of  life.  He  seemed, 
indeed,  almost  unable  to  hold  out  much  longer ;  his  breath 
was  short,  and  he  had  a  hacking  cough. 

To  the  surprise  of  the  people,  he  did  not  attempt  to  play 
for  their  amusement  or  to  ask,  in  any  way,  for  alms.  He 
had  taken  a  lodging  in  the  cottage  of  one  of  the  fishermen, 
and  on  fine  days  he  would  wander  out  with  his  boy,  a  child 
some  five  years  old,  and,  lying  down  on  the  moorland, 
would  play  soft  tunes  to  himself.  So  he  lived  for  three 
weeks;  and  then  the  end  came  suddenly.  The  child  ran 
out  one  morning  from  his  room  crying  and  saying  that 

1 


2  BY   CONDUCT   AND   COURAGE 

daddy  was  asleep  and  he  could  not  wake  him,  and  on  the 
fisherman  going  in  he  saw  that  life  had  been  extinct  for 
some  hours.  Probably  it  had  come  suddenly  to  the  musi- 
cian himself,  for  there  was  found  among  his  scanty  effects 
no  note  or  memorandum  giving  a  clue  to  the  residence  of 
the  child's  friends,  or  leaving  any  direction  concerning 
him.  The  clergyman  was,  of  course,  called  in  to  advise 
as  to  what  should  be  done.  He  was  a  kind-hearted  man, 
and  volunteered  to  bury  the  dead  musician  without  charging 
any  fees. 

After  the  funeral  another  question  arose.  What  was  to 
be  done  with  the  child? 

He  was  a  fine-looking,  frank  boy,  who  had  grown  and 
hardened  beyond  his  years  by  the  life  he  had  led  with  his 
father.  Fifteen  pounds  had  been  found  in  the  dead  man's 
kit.  This,  however,  would  fall  to  the  share  of  the  work- 
house authorities  if  they  took  charge  of  him.  A  sort  of 
informal  council  was  held  by  the  elder  fishermen. 

"It  is  hard  on  the  child/'  one  of  them  said.  "I  have  no 
doubt  his  father  intended  to  tell  him  where  to  find  his 
friends,  but  his  death  came  too  suddenly.  Here  is  fifteen 
pounds.  Not  much  good,  you  will  say;  and  it  isn't.  It 
might  last  a  year,  or  maybe  eighteen  months,  but  at  the 
end  of  that  time  he  would  be  as  badly  off  as  he  is  now." 

"Maybe  John  Hammond  would  take  him,"  another  sug- 
gested. "He  lost  his  boat  and  nets  three  weeks  ago,  and 
though  he  has  a  little  money  saved  up,  it  is  not  enough  to  re- 
place them.  Perhaps  he  would  take  the  child  in  return 
for  the  fifteen  pounds.  His  old  woman  could  do  with  him, 
too,  and  would  soon  make  him  a  bit  useful.  John  himself 
is  a  kind-hearted  chap,  and  would  treat  him  well,  and  in 


AN  OBPHAtf  3 

a  few  years  the  boy  would  make  a  useful  nipper  on  board 
his  boat." 

John  Hammond  was  sent  for,  and  the  case  was  put  to 
him.  "Well/'  he  said,  "I  think  I  could  do  with  him,  and 
the  brass  would  be  mighty  useful  to  me  just  now ;  but  how 
does  the  law  stand  ?  If  it  got  to  be  talked  about,  the  par- 
ish might  come  down  upon  me  for  the  money." 

"That  is  so,  John,"  one  of  the  others  said.  "The  best 
plan  would  be  for  you,  and  two  of  us,  to  go  up  to  parson, 
and  ask  him  how  the  matter  stands.  If  he  says  that 
it  is  all  right,  you  may  be  sure  that  you  would  be  quite 
safe." 

The  clergyman,  upon  being  consulted,  said  that  he 
thought  the  arrangement  was  a  very  good  one.  The  parish 
authorities  had  not  been  asked  to  find  any  money  for  the 
father's  funeral,  and  had  therefore  no  say  in  the  matter, 
unless  they  were  called  upon  to  take  the  child.  Should 
any  question  be  asked,  he  would  state  that  he  himself  had 
gone  into  the  matter  and  had  strongly  approved  of  the 
arrangement,  which  he  considered  was  to  their  advantage 
as  well  as  the  child's;  for  if  they  took  charge  of  the  boy 
they  would  have  to  keep  him  at  least  ten  years,  and  then 
pay  for  apprenticing  him  out. 

Accordingly  the  boy  was  handed  over  to  John  Hammond. 
With  the  buoyancy  of  childhood,  William  Gilmore,  which 
was  the  best  that  could  be  made  of  what  he  gave  as  his 
name,  soon  felt  at  home  in  the  fisherman's  cottage.  It  was 
a  pleasant  change  to  him  after  having  been  a  wanderer  with 
his  father  for  as  far  back  as  he  could  remember.  The  old 
woman  was  kind  in  her  rough  way,  and  soon  took  to  send- 
ing him  on  small  errands.  She  set  him  on  washing-days 


4  BY   CONDUCT   AND  COURAGE 

to  watch  the  pot  and  tell  her  when  it  boiled.  When  not  so 
employed  she  allowed  him  to  play  with  other  children  of 
his  own  age. 

Sometimes  when  the  weather  was  fine,  John,  who  had 
come  to  be  very  fond  of  the  boy,  never  having  had  any 
children  of  his  own,  would  take  him  out  with  him  fishing, 
to  the  child's  supreme  enjoyment.  After  a  year  of  this 
life  he  was  put  to  the  village  school,  which  was  much  less 
to  his  liking.  Here,  fortunately  for  himself,  he  attracted 
the  notice  of  the  clergyman's  daughter,  a  girl  of  sixteen. 
She,  of  course,  knew  his  story,  and  was  filled  with  a  great 
pity  for  him.  She  was  a  little  inclined  to  romance,  and 
in  her  own  mind  invented  many  theories  to  account  for  his 
appearance  in  the  village.  Her  father  would  laugh  some- 
times when  she  related  some  of  these  to  him. 

"My  dear  child,"  he  said,  "it  is  not  necessary  to  go  so 
far  to  account  for  the  history  of  this  poor  wandering  mu- 
sician. You  say  that  he  looked  to  you  like  a  broken-down 
gentleman ;  there  are  thousands  of  such  men  in  the  country, 
ne'er-do-wells,  who  have  tired  out  all  their  friends,  and 
have  taken  at  last  to  a  life  that  permits  a  certain  amount 
of  freedom  and  furnishes  them  with  a  living  sufficient  for 
necessary  wants.  It  is  from  such  men  as  these  that  the 
great  body  of  tramps  is  largely  recruited.  Many  such  men 
drive  hackney-coaches  in  our  large  towns;  some  of  them 
enlist  in  the  army;  but  wherever  they  are,  and  whatever 
they  take  up,  they  are  sure  to  stay  near  the  foot  of  the 
tree.  They  have  no  inclination  for  better  things.  They 
work  as  hard  as  men  who  have  steady  employment,  but 
they  prefer  their  own  liberty  with  a  crust  to  a  solid  meal 
regularly  earned.  I  agree  with  you  myself  that  there  was 


AN  OKPHAN  5 

an  appearance  of  having  seen  better  times  about  this  man ; 
I  can  go  so  far  with  you  as  to  admit  that  I  think  that  at 
some  time  or  other  he  moved  in  decent  circles;  but  if  we 
could  get  at  the  truth  I  have  no  doubt  whatever  that  we 
should  find  that  he  had  thrown  away  every  opportunity, 
alienated  every  friend,  and,  having  cut  himself  adrift  from 
all  ties,  took  to  the  life  of  a  wanderer.  For  such  a  man 
nothing  could  be  done ;  but  I  hope  that  the  boy,  beginning 
in  vastly  poorer  circumstances  than  his  father,  will  some 
day  come  to  earn  his  living  honestly  in  the  position  of  life 
in  which  he  is  placed." 

The  interest,  however,  which  Miss  Warden  took  in  the 
boy  remained  unabated,  and  had  a  very  useful  effect  upon 
him.  She  persuaded  him  to  come  up  every  day  for  half 
an  hour  to  the  rectory,  and  then  instructed  him  in  his 
lessons,  educating  him  in  a  manner  very  different  from 
the  perfunctory  teaching  of  the  old  dame  at  the  school. 
She  would  urge  him  on  by  telling  him  that  if  he  would 
attend  to  his  lessons  he  would  some  day  be  able  to  rise  to 
a  better  position  than  that  of  a  village  fisherman.  His 
father,  no  doubt,  had  had  a  good  education,  but  from 
circumstances  over  which  he  had  had  no  control  he  had  been 
obliged  to  take  to  the  life  of  a  strolling  musician,  and  she 
was  sure  that  he  would  have  wished  of  all  things  that  his 
son  should  be  able  to  obtain  a  good  position  in  life  when 
he  grew  up. 

Under  Miss  Warden's  teaching  the  boy  made  very  rapid 
progress,  and  was,  before  two  more  years  had  passed,  vastly 
in  advance  of  the  rest  of  the  children  of  the  village.  As 
to  this,  however,  by  Miss  Warden's  advice,  he  remained 
silent.  When  he  was  ten  his  regular  schooling  was  a  great 


6  BY   CONDUCT   AND   COUEAGE 

deal  interrupted,  as  it  was  considered  that  when  a  boy 
reached  that  age  it  was  high  time  that  he  began  to  assist 
his  father  in  the  boat.  He  was  glad  of  his  freedom  and 
the  sense  that  he  was  able  to  make  himself  useful,  but  of  an 
evening  when  he  was  at  home,  or  weather  prevented  the 
boat  from  going  out,  he  went  up  for  his  lesson  to  Miss 
Warden,  and,  stealing  away  from  the  others,  would  lie 
down  on  the  moor  and  work  at  his  books. 

He  was  now  admitted  to  the  society  of  watchers.  He 
had  often  heard  whispers  among  other  boys  of  the  look-out 
that  had  to  be  kept  upon  the  custom-house  officers,  and 
heard  thrilling  tales  of  adventure  and  escape  on  the  part 
of  the  fishermen.  Smuggling  was  indeed  carried  on  on  a 
large  scale  on  the  whole  Yorkshire  coast,  and  cargoes  were 
sometimes  run  under  the  very  noses  of  the  revenue  officers, 
who  were  put  off  the  scent  by  many  ingenious  contrivances. 
Before  a  vessel  was  expected  in,  rumours  would  be  circu- 
lated of  an  intention  to  land  the  cargo  on  some  distant 
spot,  and  a  mysterious  light  would  be  shown  in  that  direc- 
tion by  fishing-boats.  Sometimes,  however,  the  smugglers 
were  caught  in  the  act,  and  then  there  would  be  a  fierce 
fight,  ending  in  some,  at  least,  of  those  engaged  being  taken 
off  to  prison  and  afterwards  sent  on  a  voyage  in  a  ship  of 
war. 

Will  Gilmore  was  now  admitted  as  a  helper  in  these  pro- 
ceedings, and  often  at  night  would  watch  one  or  other  of 
the  revenue  men,  and  if  he  saw  him  stir  beyond  his  usual 
beat  would  quickly  carry  the  news  to  the  village.  A  score 
of  boys  were  thus  employed,  so  that  any  movement  which 
seemed  to  evidence  a  concentration  of  the  coast-guard  men 
was  almost  certain  to  be  thwarted.  Either  the  expected 


AN   ORPHAN  7 

vessel  was  warned  off  with  lights,  or,  if  the  concentration 
left  unguarded  the  place  fixed  upon  for  landing,  the  cargo 
would  be  immediately  run. 

Thus  another  five  years  passed.  Will  was  now  a  strong 
lad.  His  friend,  Miss  Warden,  could  teach  him  but  little 
more,  but  she  often  had  him  up  of  an  evening  to  have  a 
chat  with  him. 

"I  am  afraid,  William/'  she  said  one  evening,  "that  a 
good  deal  of  smuggling  is  carried  on  here.  Last  week 
there  was  a  fight,  and  three  of  the  men  of  the  village  were 
killed  and  several  were  taken  away  to  prison.  It  is  a  terrible 
state  of  affairs." 

William  did  not  for  a  moment  answer.  It  was  some- 
thing entirely  new  to  him  that  there  was  anything  wrong 
in  smuggling.  He  regarded  it  as  a  mere  contest  of  wits 
between  the  coast-guard  and  the  fishermen,  and  had  taken 
a  keen  pleasure  in  outwitting  the  former. 

"But  there  is  no  harm  in  smuggling,  Miss  Warden.  Al- 
most everyone  takes  part  in  it,  and  the  farmers  round  all 
send  their  carts  in  when  a  run  is  expected." 

"But  it  is  very  wrong,  William,  and  the  fact  that  so 
many  people  are  ready  to  aid  in  it  is  no  evidence  in  its 
favour.  People  band  together  to  cheat  the  King's  Eev- 
enue,  and  thereby  bring  additional  taxation  upon  those 
who  deal  fairly.  It  is  as  much  robbery  to  avoid  the  excise 
duties  as  it  is  to  carry  off  property  from  a  house,  and  it 
has  been  a  great  grief  to  my  father  that  his  parishioners, 
otherwise  honest  and  God-fearing  people,  should  take  part 
in  such  doings,  as  is  evidenced  by  the  fact  that  so  many 
of  them  were  involved  in  the  fray  last  week.  He  only 
abstains  from  denouncing  it  in  the  pulpit  because  he 


8  BY    CONDUCT    AND   COURAGE 

fears  that  he  might  thereby  lose  the  affection  of  the  peo- 
ple and  impair  his  power  of  doing  good  in  other  re- 
spects." 

"I  never  thought  of  it  in  that  way,  miss,"  the  lad  said 
seriously. 

" Just  think  in  your  own  case,  William :  suppose  you  were 
caught  and  sent  off  to  sea;  there  would  be  an  end  of  the 
work  you  have  been  doing.  You  would  be  mixed  up  with 
rough  sailors,  and,  after  being  away  on  a  long  voyage,  you 
would  forget  all  that  you  have  learnt,  and  would  be  as  rough 
as  themselves.  This  would  be  a  poor  ending  indeed  to  all 
the  pains  I  have  taken  with  you,  and  all  the  labour  you 
have  yourself  expended  in  trying  to  improve  yourself.  It 
would  be  a  great  grief  to  me,  I  can  assure  you,  and  a  cruel 
disappointment,  to  know  that  my  hopes  for  you  had  all 
come  to  naught." 

"They  sha'n't,  Miss  Warden,"  the  boy  said  firmly.  "I 
know  it  will  be  hard  for  me  to  draw  back,  but,  if  necessary, 
I  will  leave  the  village  now  that  you  are  going  to  be  mar- 
ried. If  you  had  been  going  to  stay  I  would  have  stopped 
too,  but  the  village  will  not  be  like  itself  to  me  after  you 
have  left." 

"I  am  glad  to  think  you  mean  that.  I  have  remained 
here  as  long  as  I  could  be  of  use  to  you,  for  though  I  have 
taught  you  as  much  as  I  could  in  all  branches  of  education 
that  would  be  likely  to  be  useful  to  you,  have  lent  you  my 
father's  books,  and  pushed  you  forward  till  I  could  no 
longer  lead  the  way,  there  are  still,  of  course,  many  things 
for  you  to  learn.  You  have  got  a  fair  start,  but  you  must 
not  be  content  with  that.  If  you  have  to  leave,  and  I  don't 
think  a  longer  stay  here  would  be  of  use  to  you,  I  will  en- 


AN   OKPHAN  9 

deavour  to  obtain  some  situation  for  you  at  Scarborough  or 
Whitby,  where  you  could,  after  your  work  is  done,  continue 
your  education.  But  I  beg  you  to  do  nothing  rashly.  It 
would  be  better  if  you  could  stay  here  for  another  year  or 
so.  We  may  hope  that  the  men  will  not  be  so  annoyed  as 
you  think  at  your  refusal  to  take  further  part  in  the 
smuggling  operations.  At  any  rate,  stay  if  you  can  for  a 
time.  It  will  be  two  months  before  I  leave,  and  three  more 
before  I  am  settled  in  my  new  home  at  Scarborough.  When 
I  am  so  I  have  no  doubt  that  my  husband  will  aid  me  in 
obtaining  a  situation  for  you.  He  has  been  there  for  years, 
and  will,  of  course,  have  very  many  friends  and  acquaint- 
ances who  would  interest  themselves  in  you.  If,  however, 
you  find  that  your  position  would  be  intolerable,  you  might 
remain  quiet  as  to  your  determination.  After  the  fight  of 
last  week  it  is  not  likely  that  there  will  be  any  attempt  at 
a  landing  for  some  little  time  to  come,  and  I  shall  not  blame 
you,  therefore,  if  you  at  least  keep  up  the  semblance  of 
still  taking  part  in  their  proceedings." 

"No,  Miss  Warden,"  the  boy  said  sturdily,  "I  didn't 
know  that  it  was  wrong,  and  therefore  joined  in  it  willingly 
enough,  but  now  you  tell  me  that  it  is  so  I  will  take  no 
further  share  in  it,  whatever  comes  of  it." 

"I  am  glad  to  hear  you  say  so,  William,  for  it  shows  that 
the  aid  I  have  given  you  has  not  been  thrown  away.  What 
sort  of  work  would  you  like  yourself,  if  we  can  get  it  for 
you?" 

"I  would  rather  go  to  sea,  Miss  Warden,  than  do  any- 
thing else.  I  have,  for  the  last  year,  taken  a  lot  of  pains 
to  understand  those  books  of  navigation  you  bought  for 
me.  I  don't  say  that  I  have  mastered  them  all,  but  I  under- 


10  BY   CONDUCT  AND  COURAGE 

stand  a  good  deal,  and  feel  sure  that  after  a  few  years  at 
sea  I  shall  be  able  to  pass  as  a  mate." 

"Well,  William,  you  know  that,  when  I  got  the  books  for 
you,  I  told  you  that  I  could  not  help  you  with  them,  but  I 
can  quite  understand  that  with  your  knowledge  of  mathe- 
matics you  would  be  able  at  any  rate  to  grasp  a  great  deal 
of  the  subject.  I  was  afraid  then  that  you  would  take  to 
the  sea.  It  is  a  hard  life,  but  one  in  which  a  young  man 
capable  of  navigating  a  ship  should  be  able  to  make  his  way. 
Brought  up,  as  you  have  been,  on  the  sea,  it  is  not  wonderful 
that  you  should  choose  it  as  a  profession,  and,  though  I 
may  regret  it,  I  should  not  think  of  trying  to  turn  you  from 
it.  Very  well,  then,  I  will  endeavour  to  get  you  appren- 
ticed. It  is  a  hard  life,  but  not  harder  than  that  of  a  fisher- 
man, to  which  you  are  accustomed." 

When  William  returned  to  his  foster-father  he  informed 
him  that  he  did  not  mean  to  have  anything  more  to  do  with 
the  smuggling. 

The  old  man  looked  at  him  in  astonishment.  "Are  you 
mad  ?"  he  said.  "Don't  I  get  five  shillings  for  every  night 
you  are  out,  generally  four  or  five  nights  a  month,  which 
pays  for  all  your  food." 

"I  am  sorry,"  the  lad  said,  "but  I  never  knew  that  it  was 
wrong  before,  and  now  I  know  it  I  mean  to  have  nothing 
more  to  do  with  it.  What  good  comes  of  it  ?  Here  we  have 
three  empty  cottages,  and  five  or  six  others  from  which  the 
heads  will  be  absent  for  years.  It  is  dear  at  any  price.  I 
work  hard  with  you,  father,  and  am  never  slack ;  surely  the 
money  I  earn  in  the  boat  more  than  pays  for  my  grub." 

"I  can  guess  who  told  you  this,"  the  old  man  said  angrily. 
"It  was  that  parson's  daughter  you  are  always  with." 


AN   OEPHAN  11 

"Don't  say  anything  against  her/'  the  boy  said  earnestly ; 
"she  has  been  the  best  friend  to  me  that  ever  a  fellow  had, 
and  as  long  as  I  live  I  shall  feel  grateful  to  her.  You  know 
that  I  am  not  like  the  other  boys  of  the  village ;  I  can  read 
and  write  well,  and  I  have  gathered  a  lot  of  knowledge  from 
books.  Abuse  me  as  much  as  you  like,  but  say  nothing 
against  her.  You  know  that  the  terms  on  which  you  took 
me  expired  a  year  ago,  but  I  have  gone  on  just  as  before 
and  am  ready  to  do  the  same  for  a  time." 

"You  have  been  a  good  lad,"  the  old  man  said,  mollified, 
"and  I  don't  know  what  I  should  have  done  without  you. 
I  am  nigh  past  work  now,  but  in  the  ten  years  you  have 
been  with  me  things  have  always  gone  well  with  me,  and  I 
have  money  enough  to  make  a  shift  with  for  the  rest  of  my 
life,  even  if  I  work  no  longer.  But  I  don't  like  this  freak 
that  you  have  taken  into  your  head.  It  will  mean  trouble, 
lad,  as  sure  as  you  are  standing  there.  The  men  here  won't 
understand  you,  and  will  like  enough  think  that  the  revenue 
people  have  got  hold  of  you.  You  will  be  shown  the  cold 
shoulder,  and  even  worse  than  that  may  befall  you.  We 
fisher-folk  are  rough  and  ready  in  our  ways,  and  if  there 
is  one  thing  we  hate  more  than  another  it  is  a  spy." 

"I  have  no  intention  of  being  a  spy,"  the  boy  said.  "I 
have  spoken  to  none  of  the  revenue  men,  and  don't  mean  to 
do  so,  and  I  would  not  peach  even  if  I  were  certain  that  a 
cargo  was  going  to  be  landed.  Surely  it  is  possible  to  stand 
aside  from  it  all  without  being  suspected  of  having  gone 
over  to  the  enemy.  No  gold  that  they  could  give  me  would 
tempt  me  to  sav  a  word  that  would  lead  to  the  failure  of  a 

JT  J 

landing,  and  surely  there  can  be  no  great  offence  in  declin- 
ing to  act  longer  as  a  watcher." 


12  BY  CONDUCT  AND  COURAGE 

The  old  man  shook  his  head. 

"A  wilful  man  must  have  his  way/7  he  said ;  "but  I  know 
our  fellows  better  than  you  do,,  and  I  foresee  that  serious 
trouble  is  likely  to  come  of  this." 

"Well,  if  it  must  be,  it  must/'  the  boy  said  doggedly.  "I 
mean,  if  I  live,  to  be  a  good  man,  and  now  that  I  know  that 
it  is  wrong  to  cheat  the  revenue  I  will  have  no  more  to  do 
with  it.  It  would  be  a  nice  reward  for  all  the  pains  Miss 
Warden  has  spent  upon  me  to  turn  round  and  do  what  she 
tells  me  is  wrong." 

John  Hammond  was  getting  to  the  age  when  few  things 
excite  more  than  a  feeble  surprise.  He  felt  that  the  loss  of 
the  boy's  assistance  would  be  a  heavy  one,  for  he  had  done 
no  small  share  of  the  work  for  the  past  two  years.  But  he  had 
more  than  once  lately  talked  to  his  wife  of  the  necessity  for 
selling  his  boat  and  nets  and  remaining  at  home.  With  this 
decision  she  quite  agreed,  feeling  that  he  was  indeed  becom- 
ing incapable  of  doing  the  work,  and  every  time  he  had 
gone  out  in  anything  but  the  calmest  weather  she  had  been 
filled  with  apprehension  as  to  what  would  happen  if  a  storm 
were  to  blow  up.  He  was  really  sorry  for  the  boy,  being 
convinced  that  harm  would  befall  him  as  the  result  of  this, 
to  him,  astonishing  decision.  To  John  Hammond  smug- 
gling appeared  to  be  quite  justifiable.  The  village  had  al- 
ways been  noted  as  a  nest  of  smugglers,  and  to  him  it  came 
as  natural  as  fishing.  It  was  a  pity,  a  grievous  pity,  that 
the  boy  should  have  taken  so  strange  a  fancy. 

He  was  a  good  boy,  a  hard-working  boy,  and  the  only 
fault  he  had  to  find  with  him  was  his  unaccountable  liking 
for  study.  John  could  neither  read  nor  write,  and  for  the 
life  of  him  could  not  see  what  good  came  of  it.  He  had 


AN  OKPHAN  13 

always  got  on  well  without  it,  and  when  the  school  was  first 
started  he  and  many  others  shook  their  heads  gravely  over 
it,  and  regarded  it  as  a  fad  of  the  parson's.  Still,  as  it  only 
affected  children  too  young  to  be  useful  in  the  boats,  they 
offered  no  active  opposition,  and  in  time  the  school  had 
come  to  be  regarded  as  chiefly  a  place  where  the  youngsters 
were  kept  out  of  their  mothers'  way  when  washing  and 
cooking  were  going  on. 

He  went  slowly  back  into  the  cottage  and  acquainted  his 
wife  with  this  new  and  astonishing  development  on  the  part 
of  the  boy.  His  wife  was  full  of  indignation,  which  was, 
however,  modified  at  the  thought  that  she  would  now  have 
her  husband  always  at  home  with  her. 

"I  shall  speak  my  mind  to  Miss  Warden,"  she  said,  "and 
tell  her  how  much  harm  her  advice  has  done." 

"No,  no,  Jenny,"  her  husband  said ;  "what  is  the  use  of 
that?  It  is  the  parson's  duty  to  be  meddling  in  all  sorts 
of  matters,  and  it  will  do  no  good  to  fight  against  it.  Par- 
son is  a  good  man,  all  allow,  and  he  always  finishes  his 
sermons  in  time  for  us  to  get  home  to  dinner.  I  agree  with 
you  that  the  young  madam  has  done  harm,  and  I  greatly 
fear  that  trouble  will  come  to  the  boy.  There  are  places 
where  smuggling  is  thought  to  be  wrong,  but  this  place  ain't 
among  them.  I  don't  know  what  will  happen  when  Will 
says  that  he  doesn't  mean  to  go  any  more  as  a  watcher,  but 
there  is  sure  to  be  trouble  of  some  sort." 

It  was  not  long  indeed  before  Will  felt  a  change  in  the 
village.  Previous  to  this  he  had  been  generally  popular, 
now  men  passed  without  seeing  him.  He  was  glad  when 
John  Hammond  called  upon  him  to  go  out  in  the  boat, 
when  the  weather  was  fine,  but  at  other  times  his  only 


14  BY  CONDUCT  AND  COURAGE 

recourse  was  to  steal  away  to  the  moors  with  his  books. 
Presently  the  elder  boys  took  to  throwing  sods  at  him  as 
he  passed,  and  calling  spy  and  other  opprobrious  epithets 
after  him.  This  brought  on  several  severe  fights,  and  as 
Will  made  up  for  want  of  weight  by  pluck  and  activity  his 
opponents  more  than  once  found  themselves  badly  beaten. 
One  day  he  learned  from  a  subdued  excitement  in  the  vil- 
lage that  it  was  time  for  one  of  the  smuggling  vessels  to 
arrive.  One  of  his  boyish  friends  had  stuck  to  him,  and  was 
himself  almost  under  a  ban  for  associating  with  so  unpopu- 
lar a  character. 

"Don't  you  come  with  me,  Stevens,"  Will  had  urged 
again  and  again ;  "you  will  only  make  it  bad  for  yourself, 
and  it  will  do  me  no  good." 

"I  don't  care,"  the  former  said  sturdily.  "We  have 
always  been  good  friends,  and  you  know  I  don't  in  the 
least  believe  that  you  have  anything  to  do  with  the  revenue 
men.  It  is  too  bad  of  them  to  say  so.  I  fought  Tom  Dick- 
son  only  this  morning  for  abusing  you.  He  said  if  you 
were  not  working  with  them,  why  did  you  give  up  being  on 
the  watch.  I  told  him  it  was  no  odds  to  me  why  you  gave 
it  up,  I  supposed  that  you  had  a  right  to  do  as  you  liked. 
Then  from  words  we  came  to  blows.  I  don't  say  I  beat 
him,  for  he  is  a  good  bit  bigger  than  I  am,  but  I  gave 
him  as  good  as  I  .got,  and  he  was  as  glad  to  stop  as  I  was. 
You  talk  of  going  away  soon.  If  you  do,  and  you  will 
take  me,  I  will  go  with  you." 

"I  don't  know  yet  where  I  am  going,  Tommy,  but  if  I  go 
to  a  town  I  have  no  doubt  I  shall  be  able  in  a  short  time 
to  hear  of  someone  there  who  wants  a  strong  lad,  or  per- 
haps I  may  be  able  to  get  you  a  berth  as  cabin-boy  in  the 


AN  ORPHAN  15 

ship  in  which  I  go.  I  mean  to  go  for  a  sailor  myself  if  I 
can,  and  I  shall  be  glad  to  have  you  as  a  chum  on  board. 
We  have  always  been  great  friends,  and  I  am  sure  we  always 
shall  be,  Tommy.  If  I  were  you  I  would  think  it  over  a 
good  many  times  before  you  decide  upon  it.  You  see  I 
have  learnt  a  great  deal  from  books  to  prepare  myself  for 
a  sea  life.  Miss  Warden  is  going  to  try  to  get  me  taken 
as  an  apprentice,  and  in  that  case  I  may  hope  to  get  to  be 
an  officer  when  my  time  is  put,  but  you  would  not  have 
much  chance  of  doing  so.  Of  course  if  we  were  together 
I  could  help  you  on.  So  far  you  have  never  cared  for  books 
or  to  improve  yourself,  and  without  that  you  can  never  rise 
to  be  any  more  than  a  common  sailor." 

"I  hate  books,"  the  boy  said ;  "still,  I  will  try  what  I  can 
do.  But  at  any  rate  I  don't  care  much  so  that  I  am  with 
you." 

"Well,  we  will  see  about  it  when  the  time  comes,  Tommy. 
Miss  Warden  was  married,  as  you  know,  last  week.  In 
another  three  months  she  will  be  at  Scarborough,  and  she 
has  promised  that  her  husband  will  try  to  get  me  appren- 
ticed either  there  or  at  Whitby,  which  is  a  large  port. 
Directly  I  get  on  board  a  ship  I  will  let  you  know  if  there 
is  a  vacancy  in  her  for  a  cabin-boy.  But  you  think  it  over 
well  first;  you  will  find  it  difficult,  for  I  don't  expect  your 
uncle  will  let  you  go." 

"I  don't  care  a  snap  about  him.  He  is  always  knocking 
me  about,  and  I  don't  care  what  he  likes  and  what  he  don't. 
You  may  be  sure  that  I  sha'n't  ask  him,  but  shall  make  off 
at  night  as  soon  as  I  hear  from  you.  You  won't  forget 
me,  will  you,  Will?" 

"Certainly  I  will  not;  you  may  be  quite  sure  of  that. 


16  BY  CONDUCT  AND  COURAGE 

Mind,  I  don't  promise  that  I  shall  be  able  to  get  you  a  berth 
as  cabin-boy  at  once,  or  as  an  apprentice.  I  only  promise 
that  I  will  do  so  as  soon  as  I  have  a  chance.  It  may  be  a 
month,  and  it  may  be  a  year ;  it  may  even  be  three  or  four 
years,  for  though  there  is  always  a  demand  for  men,  at 
least  so  I  have  heard,  there  may  not  be  any  demand  for 
boys.  But  you  may  be  sure  that  I  will  not  keep  you  waiting 
any  longer  than  I  can  help/' 

One  day  Will  was  walking  along  the  cliffs,  feeling  very 
solitary,  when  he  heard  a  faint  cry,  and,  looking  down,  saw 
Tom  Stevens  in  a  deep  pool.  It  had  precipitous  sides,  and 
he  was  evidently  unable  to  climb  out.  "Hold  on,  Tom," 
he  shouted,  "I  will  come  to  you/' 

It  was  half  a  mile  before  he  could  get  to  a  place  where 
he  was  able  to  climb  down,  and  when  he  reached  the  shore  he 
ran  with  breathless  speed  to  the  spot  where  Tom's  head  was 
still  above  the  water.  He  saw  at  once  that  his  friend's 
strength  was  well-nigh  spent,  and,  leaping  in,  he  swam  to 
him.  "Put  your  arms  round  my  neck,"  he  said.  "I  will 
swim  down  with  you  to  the  point  where  the  creek  ends." 
The  boy  was  too  far  gone  to  speak,  and  it  needed  all  Will's 
strength  to  help  him  down  the  deep  pool  to  the  point  where 
it  joined  the  sea,  and  then  to  haul  him  ashore. 

"I  was  nearly  gone,  Will,"  the  boy  said  when  he  recovered 
a  little. 

"Yes,  I  saw  that.  But  how  on  earth  did  you  manage  to 
get  into  the  water  ?" 

"I  was  running  along  by  the  side  of  the  cliff,  when  my 
foot  slipped.  I  came  down  on  my  knee  and  hurt  myself 
frightfully ;  I  was  in  such  pain  that  I  could  not  stop  myself 
from  rolling  over.  I  tried  to  swim,  which,  of  course,  would 


AN   ORPHAN  17 

have  been  nothing  for  me,  but  I  think  my  knee  is  smashed, 
and  it  hurt  me  so  frighfully  that  I  screamed  out  with  pain, 
and  had  to  give  up.  I  could  not  have  held  on  much  longer, 
and  should  certainly  have  been  drowned  had  you  not  seen 
me.  I  was  neyer  so  pleased  as  when  I  heard  your  voice 
above." 

"Can  you  walk  now,  do  you  think?" 

"No,  I  am  sure  I  can't  walk  by  myself,  but  I  might  if  I 
leant  on  you.  I  will  try  anyhow." 

He  hobbled  along  for  a  short  distance,  but  at  last  said : 
"It  is  of  no  use,  Will,  I  can't  go  any  farther." 

"Well,  get  on  my  back  and  I  will  see  what  I  can  do  for 
you." 

Slowly  and  with  many  stoppages  Will  got  him  to  the 
point  where  he  descended  the  cliff.  "I  must  get  help  to 
carry  you  up  here,  Tom ;  it  is  very  steep,  and  I  am  sure  I 
could  not  take  you  myself.  I  must  go  into  the  village  and 
bring  assistance." 

"I  will  wait  here  till  morning,  Will.  There  will  be  no 
hardship  in  that,  and  I  know  that  you  don't  like  speaking 
to  anyone." 

"I  will  manage  it,"  Will  said  cheerfully.  "I  will  tell 
John  Hammond,  and  he  will  go  to  your  uncle  and  get 
help." 

"Ah,  that  will  do !  Most  of  the  men  are  out,  but  I  dare 
say  there  will  be  two  or  three  at  home." 

Will  ran  all  the  way  back  to  the  village,  which  was  more 
than  a  mile  away.  "Tom  Stevens  is  lying  at  the  foot  of  the 
cliff,  father.  I  think  he  has  broken  his  leg,  and  he  has  been 
nearly  drowned.  Will  you  go  and  see  his  uncle,  and  get 
three  or  four  men  to  carry  him  home.  You  know  very  well 


18  BY    CONDUCT   AND   COUKAGE 

it  is  no  use  my  going  to  his  uncle.  He  would  not  listen  to 
what  I  have  to  say,  and  would  simply  shower  abuse  upon 
me." 

"I  will  go/'  the  old  man  said.  "The  boy  can't  be  left 
there." 

In  a  quarter  of  an  hour  the  men  started.  Will  went 
ahead  of  them  for  some  distance  until  he  reached  the  top  of 
the  path.  "He  is  down  at  the  bottom/'  he  said,  and  turned 
away.  Tom  was  brought  home,  and  roundly  abused  by  his 
uncle  for  injuring  himself  so  that  he  would  be  unable  to 
accompany  him  in  his  boat  for  some  days.  He  lay  for  a 
week  in  bed,  and  was  then  only  able  to  hobble  about  with 
the  aid  of  a  stick.  When  he  related  how  Will  had  saved 
him  there  was  a  slight  revulsion  of  feeling  among  the  bet- 
ter-disposed boys,  but  this  was  of  short  duration.  It  became 
known  that  a  French  lugger  would  soon  be  on  the  coast. 
Will  was  not  allowed  to  approach  the  edge  of  the  cliff,  being 
assailed  by  curses  and  threats  if  he  ventured  to  do  so.  Every 
care  was  taken  to  throw  the  coast-guard  off  the  scent,  but 
things  went  badly.  There  was  some  sharp  fighting,  and  a 
considerable  portion  of  the  cargo  was  seized  as  it  was  being 
carried  up  the  cliff. 

The  next  day  Tom  hurried  up  to  Will,  who  was  a  short 
way  out  on  the  moor. 

"You  must  run  for  your  life,  Will.  There  are  four  or 
five  of  the  men  who  say  that  you  betrayed  them  last  night, 
and  I  do  believe  they  will  throw  you  over  the  cliff.  Here 
they  come !  The  best  thing  }rou  can  do  is  to  make  for  the 
coast-guard  station." 

Will  saw  that  the  four  men  who  were  coming  along  were 
among  the  roughest  in  the  village,  and  started  off  immedi- 


AN  OBPHAN  19 

ately  at  full  speed.  With  oaths  and  shouts  the  men  pursued 
him.  The  coast-guard  station  was  two  miles  away,  and  he 
reached  it  fifty  yards  in  front  of  them.  The  men  stopped, 
shouting :  "You  are  safe  there,  but  as  soon  as  you  leave  it 
we  will  have  you." 

"What  is  the  matter,  lad  ?"  the  sub-officer  in  charge  of  the 
station  said. 

"Those  men  say  that  I  betrayed  them,  but  you  know  'tis 
false,  sir." 

"Certainly  I  do.  I  know  you  well  by  sight,  and  believe 
that  you  are  a  good  young  fellow.  I  have  always  heard 
you  well  spoken  of.  What  makes  them  think  that  ?" 

"It  is  because  I  would  not  agree  to  go  on  acting  as 
watcher.  I  did  not  know  that  there  was  any  harm  in  it  till 
Miss  Warden  told  me,  and  then  I  would  not  do  it  any 
longer,  and  that  set  all  the  village  against  me." 

"What  are  you  going  to  do  ?" 

"I  will  stay  here  to-night  if  you  will  let  me.  I  am  sure 
they  will  keep  up  a  watch  for  me." 

"I  will  sling  a  hammock  for  you,"  the  man  said.  "Now 
we  are  just  going  to  have  dinner,  and  I  dare  say  you  can 
eat  something.  You  are  the  boy  they  call  Miss  Warden's 
pet,  are  you  not  ?" 

"Yes,  they  call  me  so.  She  has  been  very  kind  to  me, 
and  has  helped  me  on  with  my  books." 

"Ah,  well,  a  boy  is  sure  to  get  disliked  by  his  fellows 
when  he  is  cleverer  with  his  books  than  they  are !" 

After  dinner  the  officer  said :  "It  is  quite  clear  that  you 
won't  be  able  to  return  to  the  village.  I  think  I  have  heard 
that  you  have  no  father.  Is  it  not  so  ?" 

"Yes,  he  died  when  I  was  five  years  old.    He  left  a  little 


20  BY  CONDUCT  AND  COURAGE 

money,  and  John  Hammond  took  me  in  and  bought  a  boat 
with  that  and  what  he  had  saved.  I  was  bound  to  stay  with 
him  until  I  was  fourteen  years  old,  but  was  soon  going  to 
leave  him,  for  he  is  really  too  old  to  go  out  any  longer." 

"Have  you  ever  thought  of  going  into  the  royal  navy  ?" 

"I  have  thought  of  it,  sir,  but  I  have  not  settled  anything. 
I  thought  of  going  into  the  merchant  navy." 

"Bah !  I  am  surprised  at  a  lad  of  spirit  like  you  thinking 
of  such  a  thing.  If  you  have  learned  a  lot  you  will,  if  you 
are  steady,  be  sure  to  get  on  in  time,  and  may  very  well 
become  a  petty  officer.  No  lad  of  spirit  would  take  to  the 
life  of  a  merchantman  who  could  enter  the  navy.  I  don't 
say  that  some  of  the  Indiamen  are  not  fine  ships,  but  you 
would  find  it  very  hard  to  get  a  berth  on  one  of  them.  Our 
lieutenant  will  be  over  here  in  a  day  or  two,  and  I  have  no 
doubt  that  if  I  speak  to  him  for  you  he  will  ship  you  as  a 
boy  in  a  fine  ship/' 

"How  long  does  one  ship  for,  sir  ?" 

"You  engage  for  the  time  that  the  ship  is  in  commission, 
at  the  outside  for  five  years ;  and  if  you  find  that  you  do  not 
like  it,  at  the  end  of  that  time  it  is  open  to  you  to  choose 
some  other  berth." 

"I  can  enter  the  merchant  navy  then  if  I  like  ?" 

"Of  course  you  could,  but  I  don't  think  that  you  would. 
On  a  merchantman  you  would  be  kicked  and  cuffed  all 
round,  whereas  on  a  man-of-war  I  don't  say  it  would  be  all 
easy  sailing,  but  if  you  were  sharp  and  obliging  things 
would  go  smoothly  enough  for  you." 

"Well,  sir,  I  will  think  it  over  to-night." 

"Good,  my  boy !  you  are  quite  right  not  to  decide  in  a 
hurry.  It  is  a  serious  thing  for  a  young  chap  to  make  a 


AN   OKPHAtf  21 

choice  like  that;  but  it  seems  to  me  that,  being  without 
friends  as  you  are,  and  having  made  enemies  of  all  the 
people  of  your  village,  it  would  be  better  for  you  to  get  out 
of  it  as  soon  as  possible." 

"I  quite  see  that ;  and  really  I  think  I  could  not  do  better 
than  pass  a  few  years  on  a  man-of-war,  for  after  that  I 
should  be  fit  for  any  work  I  might  find  to  do." 

"Well,  sleep  upon  it,  lad." 

Will  sat  down  on  the  low  wall  in  front  of  the  station  and 
thought  it  over.  After  all,  it  seemed  to  him  that  it  would 
be  better  to  be  on  a  fine  ship  and  have  a  chance  of  fighting 
with  the  French  than  to  sail  in  a  merchantman.  At  the 
end  of  five  years  he  would  be  twenty,  and  could  pass  as  a 
mate  if  he  chose,  or  settle  on  land.  He  would  have  liked 
to  consult  Miss  Warden,  but  this  was  out  of  the  question. 
He  knew  the  men  who  had  pursued  him  well  enough  to  be 
sure  that  his  life  would  not  be  safe  if  they  caught  him.  He 
might  make  his  way  out  of  the  station  at  night,  but  even 
that  was  doubtful.  Besides,  if  he  were  to  do  so  he  had  no 
one  to  go  to  at  Scarborough;  he  had  not  a  penny  in  his 
pocket,  and  would  find  it  impossible  to  maintain  himself 
until  Miss  Warden  returned.  He  did  not  wish  to  appear 
before  her  as  a  beggar.  He  was  still  thinking  when  a 
shadow  fell  across  him,  and,  looking  up,  he  saw  his  friend 
Tom. 

"I  have  come  round  to  see  you,  Will,"  he  said.  "I  don't 
know  what  is  to  be  done.  Nothing  will  convince  the  village 
that  you  did  not  betray  them." 

"The  thing  is  too  absurd,"  Will  said  angrily.  "I  never 
spoke  to  a  coast-guardsman  in  my  life  till  to-day,  except, 
perhaps,  in  passing,  and  then  I  would  do  no  more  than  make 


22  BY   CONDUCT   AND   COURAGE 

a  remark  about  the  weather.  Besides,  no  one  in  the  village 
has  spoken  to  me  for  a  month,  so  how  could  I  tell  that  the 
lugger  was  coming  in  that  night  ?" 

"Well,  I  really  don't  think  it  would  be  safe  for  you  to  go 
back." 

"I  am  not  going  back.  I  have  not  quite  settled  what  I 
shall  do,  but  certainly  I  don't  intend  to  return  to  the 
village." 

"Then  what  are  you  going  to  do,  Will  ?" 

"I  don't  know  exactly,  but  I  have  half  decided  to  ship  as 
a  boy  on  one  of  the  king's  ships/' 

"I  should  like  to  go  with  you  wherever  you  go,  but  I 
should  like  more  than  anything  to  do  that." 

"It  is  a  serious  business,  you  know;  you  would  have  to 
make  up  your  mind  to  be  kicked  and  cuffed." 

"I  get  that  at  home,"  Tom  said ;  "it  can't  be  harder  for 
me  at  sea  than  it  is  there." 

"Well,  I  have  not  got  to  decide  until  to-morrow ;  you  go 
home  and  think  it  over,  and  if  you  come  in  the  morning 
with  your  mind  made  up,  I  will  speak  to  the  officer  here 
and  ask  him  if  they  will  take  us  both." 


CHAPTER  II 


BEFORE  morning  came  Will  had  thought  the  matter 
over  in  every  light,  and  concluded  that  he  could  not 
do  better  than  join  the  navy  for  a  few  years.    Putting  all 
other  things  aside,  it  was  a  life  of  adventure,  and  adventure 


23 

is  always  tempting  to  boys.  It  really  did  not  seem  to  him 
that,  if  he  entered  the  merchant  service  at  once,  he  would 
be  any  better  off  than  he  would  be  if  he  had  a  preliminary 
training  in  the  royal  navy.  He  knew  that  the  man-of-war 
training  would  make  him  a  smarter  sailor,  and  he  hoped 
that  he  would  find  time  enough  on  board  ship  to  continue 
his  work,  so  that  afterwards  he  might  be  able  to  pass  as  a 
mate  in  the  merchant  service. 

Tom  Stevens  came  round  in  the  morning. 

"I  have  quite  made  up  my  mind  to  go  with  you  if  you 
will  let  me,"  he  said. 

"I  will  let  you  readily  enough,  Tom,  but  I  must  warn 
you  that  you  will  not  have  such  a  good  look-out  as  I  shall. 
You  know,  I  have  learnt  a  good  deal,  and  if  the  first  cruise 
lasts  for  five  years  I  have  no  doubt  that  at  the  end  of  it 
I  shall  be  able  to  pass  as  a  mate  in  the  merchant  service, 
and  I  am  afraid  you  will  have  very  little  chance  of  doing 

80." 

"I  can't  help  that,"  Tom  said.  "I  know  that  I  am  not 
like  you,  and  I  haven't  learnt  things,  and  I  don't  suppose 
that  if  I  had  had  anyone  to  help  me  it  would  have  made 
any  difference.  I  know  I  shall  never  rise  much  above  a 
sailor  before  the  mast.  If  you  leave  the  service  and  go  into 
a  merchantman  I  will  go  there  with  you.  It  does  not  mat- 
ter to  me  where  I  am.  I  felt  so  before,  and  of  course  I 
feel  it  all  the  more  now  that  you  have  saved  my  life.  I  am 
quite  sure  you  will  get  on  in  the  world,  Will,  and  shaVt 
grudge  you  your  success  a  bit,  however  high  you  rise,  for 
I  know  how  hard  you  have  worked,  and  how  well  you  de- 
serve it.  Besides,  even  if  I  had  had  the  pains  bestowed 
upon  me,  and  had  worked  ever  so  hard  myself,  I  should 


24  BY   CONDUCT  AND  COURAGE 

never  have  been  a  bit  like  you.  You  seem  different  from 
us  somehow.  I  don't  know  how  it  is,,  but  you  are  smarter 
and  quicker  and  more  active.  I  expect  some  day  you  will 
find  out  something  about  your  father,  and  then  probably 
we  shall  be  able  to  understand  the  difference  between  us. 
At  any  rate  I  am  quite  prepared  to  see  you  rise,  and  I  shall 
be  well  content  if  you  will  always  allow  me  to  remain  your 
friend." 

Will  gratified  the  sub-officer  later  by  telling  him  that 
he  had  made  up  his  mind  to  ship  on  board  one  of  the 
king's  vessels,  and  that  his  friend  and  chum,  Tom  Stevens, 
had  made  up  his  mind  to  go  with  him. 

The  coxswain  looked  Tom  up  and  down. 

"You  have  the  makings  of  a  fine  strong  man,"  he  said, 
"and  ought  to  turn  out  a  good  sailor.  The  training  you 
have  had  in  the  fishing-boats  will  be  all  in  your  favor.  Well, 
I  will  let  you  know  when  the  lieutenant  makes  his  rounds. 
I  am  sure  there  will  be  no  difficulty  in  shipping  you.  Boys 
'ain't  what  they  were  when  I  was  young.  Then  we  thought 
it  an  honour  to  be  shipped  on  board  a  man-of-war,  now 
most  of  them  seem  to  me  mollycoddled,  and  we  have  diffi- 
culty in  getting  enough  boys  for  the  ships.  You  see,  we 
are  not  allowed  to  press  boys,  but  only  able-bodied  men; 
so  the  youngsters  can  laugh  in  our  faces.  Most  of  the 
crimps  get  one  or  two  of  them  to  watch  the  sailors  as  the 
boys  of  the  village  watch  our  men,  and  give  notice  when 
they  are  going  to  make  a  raid.  I  don't  think,  therefore, 
that  there  is  any  fear  of  your  being  refused,  especially 
when  I  say  that  one  of  you  has  got  into  great  trouble  from 
refusing  to  aid  in  throwing  us  off  the  scent  when  a  lugger 
is  due.  If  for  no  other  reason  he  owes  you  a  debt  for  that." 


IN   THE    KING'S   SERVICE  25 

Three  days  passed.  Will  still  remained  at  the  coast- 
guard station,  and  men  still  hovered  near.  Tom  came 
over  once  and  said  that  it  had  been  decided  among  a  number 
of  the  fishermen  that  no  great  harm  should  be  done  to  Will 
when  they  got  him,  but  that  he  should  be  thrashed  within 
an  inch  of  his  life.  On  the  third  day  the  coxswain  said 
to  Will : 

"I  have  a  message  this  morning  from  the  lieutenant, 
that  he  will  be  here  by  eleven  o'clock.  If  you  will  write  a 
line  to  your  friend  I  will  send  it  over  by  one  of  the  men." 

Tom  arrived  breathless  two  minutes  before  the  officer. 

"My  eye,  I  have  had  a  run  of  it,"  he  said.  "The  man 
brought  me  the  letter  just  as  I  was  going  to  start  in  the 
boat  with  my  uncle.  I  pretended  to  have  left  something 
behind  me  and  ran  back  to  the  cottage,  he  swearing  after 
me  all  the  way  for  my  stupidity.  I  ran  into  the  house, 
and  then  got  out  of  the  window  behind,  and  started  for  the 
moors,  taking  good  care  to  keep  the  house  in  a  line  between 
him  and  me.  My,  what  a  mad  rage  he  will  be  in  when  I 
don't  come  back,  and  he  goes  up  and  finds  that  I  have  dis- 
appeared !  I  stopped  a  minute  to  take  a  clean  shirt  and 
my  Sunday  clothes.  I  expect,  when  he  sees  I  am  not  in  the 
cottage,  he  will  look  round,  and  he  will  discover  that  they 
have  gone  from  their  pegs,  and  guess  that  I  have  made  a 
bolt  of  it.  He  won't  guess,  however,  that  I  have  come  here, 
but  will  think  I  have  gone  across  the  moors.  He  knows 
very  well  how  hard  he  has  made  my  life ;  still,  that  won't 
console  him  for  losing  me,  just  as  I  am  getting  really  useful 
in  the  boat." 

The  lieutenant  landed  from  his  cutter  at  the  foot  of  the 
path  leading  up  to  the  station.  The  sub-officer  received 


26  BY  CONDUCT  AND  COURAGE 

him  at  the  top,  and  after  a  few  words  they  walked  up  to  the 
station  together. 

"Who  are  these  two  boys?"  he  asked  as  he  came  up  to 
them. 

"Two  lads  who  wish  to  enter  the  navy,  sir." 

"Umph !  runaways,  I  suppose  ?" 

"Not  exactly,  sir.  Both  of  them  are  fatherless.  That 
one  has  received  a  fair  education  from  the  daughter  of  the 
clergyman  of  the  village,  who  took  a  great  fancy  to  him. 
He  has  for  some  years  now  been  assisting  in  one  of  the 
fishing-boats  and,  as  he  acknowledges,  in  the  spying  upon 
our  men,  as  practically  everyone  else  in  the  village  does. 
When,  however,  Miss  Warden  told  him  that  smuggling  was 
very  wrong,  he  openly  announced  his  intention  of  having 
nothing  more  to  do  with  it.  This  has  had  the  effect  of 
making  the  ignorant  villagers  think  that  he  must  have 
taken  bribes  from  us  to  keep  us  informed  of  what  was  going 
on.  In  consequence  he  has  suffered  severe  persecution  and 
has  been  sent  to  Coventry.  After  the  fight  we  had  with 
them  the  other  day  they  appear  to  think  that  there  could 
be  no  further  doubt  of  his  being  concerned  in  the  matter, 
and  four  men  set  out  after  him  to  take  his  life.  He  fled 
here  as  his  nearest  possible  refuge,  and  if  you  will  look 
over  there  you  will  see  two  men  on  the  watch  for  him.  He 
had  made  up  his  mind  to  ship  as  an  apprentice  on  a  mer- 
chantman, but  I  have  talked  the  matter  over  with  him,  and 
he  has  now  decided  to  join  a  man-of-war." 

"A  very  good  choice,"  the  officer  said.  "I  suppose  you 
can  read  and  write,  lad  ?" 

"Yes,  sir,"  Will  said,  suppressing  a  smile. 

"Know  a  bit  more,  perhaps  ?" 


IN  THE  KING'S   SEKVIOB  27 

"Yes,  sir/' 

"Well,  if  you  are  civil  and  well  behaved,  you  will  get  on. 
And  who  is  the  other  one  ?" 

"He  is  Gilmore's  special  chum,  sir.  He  has  a  brute  of 
an  uncle  who  is  always  knocking  him  about,  and  he  wants 
to  go  to  sea  with  his  friend." 

"Well,  they  are  two  likely  youngsters.  The  second  is 
more  heavily  built  than  the  other,  but  there  is  no  doubt  as 
to  which  is  the  more  intelligent.  I  will  test  them  at  once, 
and  then  take  them  off  with  me  in  the  cutter  and  hand 
them  over  to  the  tender  at  Whitby.  Now  send  four  men 
and  catch  those  two  fellows  and  bring  them  in  here.  I 
will  give  them  a  sharp  lesson  against  ill-treating  a  lad  who 
refuses  to  join  them  in  their  rascally  work." 

A  minute  later  four  of  the  men  strolled  off  by  the  cliffs, 
two  in  each  direction.  When  they  had  got  out  of  sight  of 
the  watchers,  they  struck  inland,  and,  making  a  detour, 
came  down  behind  them.  The  fishermen  did  not  take  the 
alarm  until  it  was  too  late.  They  started  to  run,  but  the 
sailors  were  more  active  and  quick-footed,  and,  presently 
capturing  them,  brought  them  back  to  the  coast-guard  sta- 
tion. 

"So  my  men,"  the  lieutenant  said  sternly,  "you  have 
been  threatening  to  ill-treat  one  of  His  Majesty's  subjects 
for  refusing  to  join  you  in  your  attempts  to  cheat  the 
revenue  ?  I  might  send  you  off  to  a  magistrate  for  trial, 
in  which  case  you  would  certainly  get  three  months'  im- 
prisonment. I  prefer,  however,  settling  such  matters  my- 
self. Strip  them  to  the  waist,  lads." 

The  orders  were  executed  in  spite  of  the  men's  struggles 
and  execrations. 


28  BY    CONDUCT    AND   COUKAGE 

"Now  tie  them  up  to  the  flag-post  and  give  them  a  dozen 
heartily." 

As  the  men  were  all  indignant  at  the  treatment  that  had 
been  given  to  Will  they  laid  the  lash  on  heavily,  and  the 
execrations  that  followed  the  first  few  blows  speedily  sub- 
sided into  shrieks  for  mercy,  followed  at  last  by  low 
moaning. 

When  both  had  received  their  punishment,  the  lieutenant 
said:  "Now  you  can  put  on  your  clothes  again  and  carry 
the  news  of  what  you  have  had  to  your  village,  and  tell 
your  friends  that  I  wish  I  had  had  every  man  concerned 
in  the  matter  before  me.  If  I  had  I  would  have  dealt  out 
the  same  punishment  to  all.  Now,  lads,  I  shall  be  leaving 
in  an  hour's  time;  if  you  like  to  send  back  to  the  village 
for  your  clothes,  one  of  the  men  will  take  the  message." 

Tom  already  had  all  his  scanty  belongings  but  Will  was 
glad  to  send  a  note  to  John  Hammond,  briefly  stating  his 
reasons  for  leaving,  and  thanking  him  for  his  kindness  in 
the  past,  and  asking  him  to  send  his  clothes  to  him  by  the 
bearer.  An  hour  and  a  half  later  they  embarked  in  the 
lieutenant's  gig  and  were  rowed  off  to  the  revenue  cutter 
lying  a  quarter  of  a  mile  away.  Here  they  were  put  under 
the  charge  of  the  boatswain. 

"They  have  shipped  for  the  service,  Thompson,"  the 
lieutenant  said.  "I  think  they  are  good  lads.  Make  them 
as  comfortable  as  you  can." 

"So  you  have  shipped,  have  you  ?"  the  boatswain  said  as 
he  led  them  forward.  "Well,  you  are  plucky  young  cock- 
erels. It  ain't  exactly  a  bed  of  roses,  you  will  find,  at  first, 
but  if  you  can  always  keep  your  temper  and  return  a  civil 
answer  to  a  question  you  will  soon  get  on  all  right.  You 


IN   THE   KING'S    SEEVICE  29 

will  have  more  trouble  with  the  other  boys  than  with  the 
men,  and  will  have  a  battle  or  two  to  fight." 

"We  sha'n't  mind  that/7  Will  said ;  "we  have  had  to  deal 
with  some  tough  ones  already  in  our  own  village,  and  have 
proved  that  we  are  better  than  most  of  our  own  age.  At 
any  rate  we  won't  be  licked  easily,  even  if  they  are  a  bit 
bigger  and  stronger  than  ourselves,  and  after  all  a  licking 
doesn't  go  for  much  anyway.  What  ship  do  you  think  they 
will  send  us  to,  sir  ?" 

"Ah,  that  is  a  good  deal  more  than  I  can  say !  There  is 
a  cutter  that  acts  as  a  receiving-ship  at  Whitby,  and  you 
will  be  sent  off  from  it  as  opportunity  offers  and  the  ships 
of  war  want  hands.  Like  enough  you  will  go  off  with  a 
batch  down  to  the  south  in  a  fortnight  or  so,  and  will  be 
put  on  board  some  ship  being  commissioned  at  Portsmouth 
or  Devonport.  A  large  cutter  comes  round  the  coast  once  a 
month,  to  pick  up  the  hands  from  the  various  receiving- 
ships,  and  as  often  as  not  she  goes  back  with  a  hundred. 
And  a  rum  lot  you  will  think  them.  There  are  jail-birds 
who  have  had  the  offer  of  release  on  condition  that  they 
enter  the  navy;  there  are  farm-labourers  who  don't  know 
one  end  of  the  boat  from  the  other;  there  are  drunkards 
who  have  been  sold  by  the  crimps  when  their  money  has 
run  out ;  but,  Lord  bless  you,  it  don't  make  much  difference 
what  they  are,  they  are  all  knocked  into  shape  before  they 
have  been  three  months  on  board.  I  think,  however,  you 
will  have  a  better  time  than  this.  Our  lieutenant  is  a  kind- 
hearted  man,  though  he  is  strict  enough  in  the  way  of 
business,  and  I  have  no  doubt  he  will  say  a  good  word  for 
you  to  the  commander  of  the  tender,  which,  as  he  is  the 
senior  officer,  will  go  a  long  way." 


30  BY    CONDUCT   AND   COUKAGE 

The  two  boys  were  soon  on  good  terms  with  the  crew, 
who  divined  at  once  that  they  were  lads  of  mettle,  and 
were  specially  attracted  to  Will  on  account  of  the  persecu- 
tion he  had  suffered  by  refusing  to  act  as  the  smugglers' 
watcher,  and  also  when  they  heard  from  Tom  how  he  had 
saved  his  life. 

"You  will  do,"  was  the  verdict  of  an  old  soldier.  "I  can 
see  that  you  have  both  got  the  right  stuff  in  you.  When 
one  fellow  saves  another's  life,  and  that  fellow  runs  away 
and  ships  in  order  to  be  near  his  friend,  you  may  be  sure 
that  there  is  plenty  of  good  stuff  in  them,  and  that  they 
will  turn  out  a  credit  to  His  Majesty's  service." 

They  were  a  week  on  board  before  the  cutter  finished  her 
trip  at  Whitby.  Both  boys  had  done  their  best  to  acquire 
knowledge,  and  had  learnt  the  names  of  the  ropes  and  their 
uses  by  the  time  they  got  to  port. 

"You  need  not  go  on  board  the  depot  ship  until  to-mor- 
row," the  lieutenant  said.  "I  will  go  across  with  you  my- 
self. I  have  had  my  eye  upon  you  ever  since  you  came 
on  board,  and  I  have  seen  that  you  have  been  trying  hard 
to  learn,  and  have  always  been  ready  to  give  a  pull  on  a 
rope  when  necessary.  I  have  no  fear  of  your  getting  on. 
It  is  a  pity  we  don't  get  more  lads  of  your  type  in  the 
navy." 

On  the  following  morning  the  lieutenant  took  them  on 
board  the  depot  and  put  them  under  the  charge  of  the 
boatswain.  "You  will  have  to  mix  with  a  roughish  crew 
here,"  the  latter  said,  "but  everything  will  go  smoothly 
enough  when  you  once  join  your  ship.  You  had  better 
hand  over  your  kits  to  me  to  keep  for  you,  otherwise  there 
won't  be  much  left  at  the  end  of  the  first  night ;  and  if  you 


IX    THE    KING'S    SERVICE  31 

like  I  will  let  you  stow  yourselves  away  at  night  in  the 
bitts  forward.  It  is  not  cold,  and  I  will  throw  a  bit  of  old 
sail-cloth  over  you;  you  will  be  better  there  than  down 
with  the  others,  where  the  air  is  almost  thick  enough  to 
cut." 

"Thank  you  very  much,  sir ;  we  should  prefer  that.  We 
have  both  been  accustomed  to  sleep  at  night  in  the  bottom 
of  an  open  boat,  so  it  will  come  natural  enough  to  us.  Are 
there  any  more  boys  on  board?" 

"No,  you  are  the  only  ones.  We  get  more  boys  down 
in  the  west,  but  up  here  very  few  ship." 

They  went  below  together.  "Dimchurch,"  the  boatswain 
said  to  a  tall  sailor-like  man,  "these  boys  have  just  joined. 
I  wish  you  would  keep  an  eye  on  them,  and  prevent  any- 
one from  bullying  them.  I  know  that  you  are  a  pressed 
man,  and  that  we  have  no  right  to  expect  anything  of  you 
until  you  have  joined  your  ship,  but  I  can  see  that  for  all 
that  you  are  a  true  British  sailor,  and  I  trust  to  you  to 
look  after  these  boys." 

"All  right,  mate!"  the  sailor  said.  "I  will  take  the 
nippers  under  my  charge,  and  see  that  no  one  meddles  with 
them.  I  know  what  I  had  to  go  through  when  I  first  went 
to  sea,  and  am  glad  enough  to  do  a  good  turn  to  any 
youngster  joining." 

"Thank  you !  Then  I  will  leave  them  now  in  your 
charge." 

"This  is  your  first  voyage,  I  suppose,"  the  sailor  said  as 
he  sat  down  on  the  table  and  looked  at  the  boys.  "I  see 
by  your  togs  that  you  have  been  fishing." 

"Yes,  we  both  had  seven  or  eight  years  of  it,  though  of 
course  we  were  of  no  real  use  till  the  last  five." 


32  BY    CONDUCT   AND   COURAGE 

"You  don't  speak  like  a  fisherman's  boy  either/'  the  man 
said. 

"No.  A  lady  interested  herself  in  me  and  got  me  to 
work  all  my  spare  time  at  books." 

"Well,  they  will  be  of  no  use  to  you  at  present,  but  they 
may  come  in  handy  some  day  to  get  you  a  rating.  I  never 
learnt  to  read  or  write  myself  or  I  should  have  been  mate 
long  ago.  This  is  my  first  voyage  in  a  ship  of  war.  Hith- 
erto I  have  always  escaped  being  pressed  when  I  was 
ashore,  but  now  they  have  caught  me  I  don't  mind  having 
a  try  at  it.  I  believe,  from  all  I  hear,  that  the  grub  and 
treatment  are  better  than  aboard  most  merchantmen,  and 
the  work  nothing  like  so  hard.  Of  course  the  great  draw- 
back is  the  cat,  but  I  expect  that  a  well-behaved  man  doesn't 
often  feel  it." 

The  others  had  looked  on  curiously  when  the  lads  first 
came  down,  but  they  soon  turned  away  indifferently  and 
took  up  their  former  pursuits.  Some  were  playing  cards, 
others  lying  about  half-asleep.  Two  or  three  who  were  for- 
tunate enough  to  be  possessed  of  tobacco  were  smoking. 
In  all  there  were  some  forty  men.  When  the  evening  meal 
was  served  out  the  sailor  placed  one  of  the  boys  on  each 
side  of  him,  and  saw  that  they  got  their  share. 

"I  must  find  a  place  for  you  to  sleep,"  he  said  when 
they  had  finished. 

"The  officer  who  brought  us  down  has  given  us  permis- 
sion to  sleep  on  deck  near  the  bitts." 

"Ah,  yes,  that  is  quite  in  the  bows  of  the  ship  !  You  will 
do  very  well  there,  much  better  than  you  would  down 
here.  I  will  go  up  on  deck  and  show  you  the  place.  How 
is  it  that  he  is  looking  specially  after  you  ?" 


33 

"I  believe  Lieutenant  Jones  of  the  Antelope  was  good 
enough  to  speak  to  the  officer  in  command  of  this  craft  in 
our  favour/' 

"How  did  you  make  him  your  friend  ?" 

Will  told  briefly  the  story  of  his  troubles  with  the 
smugglers.  The  sailor  laughed. 

"Well/'  he  said,  "you  must  be  a  pretty  plucky  one  to  fly 
in  the  face  of  a  smuggling  village  in  that  way.  You  must 
have  known  what  the  consequence  would  be,  and  it  is  not 
every  boy,  nor  every  man  either,  if  it  comes  to  that,  that 
would  venture  to  do  as  you  did." 

"It  did  not  seem  to  me  that  I  had  any  choice  when  I 
once  found  out  that  it  was  wrong." 

The  sailor  laughed  again.  "Well,  you  know,  it  is  not 
what  you  could  call  a  crime,  though  it  is  against  the  law 
of  the  land,  but  everyone  does  a  bit  of  smuggling  when  they 
get  the  chance.  Lord  bless  you !  I  have  come  home  from 
abroad  when  there  was  not  one  of  the  passengers  and  crew 
who  did  not  have  a  bit  of  something  hidden  about  him  or 
his  luggage — brandy,  'baccy,  French  wines,  or  knick-knacks 
of  some  sort.  Pretty  nigh  half  of  them  got  found  out  and 
fined,  but  the  value  of  the  things  got  ashore  was  six  or  eight 
times  as  much  as  what  was  collared." 

"Still  it  was  not  right,"  Will  persisted. 

"Oh,  no !  it  was  not  right,"  the  sailor  said  carelessly, 
"but  everyone  took  his  chance.  It  is  a  sort  of  game,  you 
see,  between  the  passengers  and  crew  on  one  side  and  the 
custom-house  officers  on  the  other.  It  was  enough  to  make 
one  laugh  to  see  the  passengers  land.  Women  who  had 
been  as  thin  as  whistles  came  out  as  stout  matrons,  owing 
to  the  yards  and  yards  of  laces  and  silk  they  had  wound 


34  BY    CONDUCT   AND   COUKAGE 

round  them.  All  sorts  of  odd  places  were  chock-full  of 
tobacco;  there  were  cases  that  looked  like  baggage,  but 
really  had  a  tin  lining,  which  was  full  of  brandy.  It  was 
a  rare  game  for  those  who  got  through,  I  can  tell  you, 
though  I  own  it  was  not  so  pleasant  for  those  who  got 
caught  and  had  their  contraband  goods  confiscated,  besides 
having  to  pay  five  times  the  proper  duty.  As  a  rule  the 
men  took  it  quietly  enough,  they  had  played  the  game  and 
lost ;  but  as  for  the  women,  they  were  just  raging  tigers. 

"For  myself,  I  laughed  fit  to  split.  If  I  lost  anything  it 
was  a  pound  or  two  of  tobacco  which  I  was  taking  home  for 
my  old  father,  and  I  felt  that  things  might  have  been  a 
deal  worse  if  they  had  searched  the  legs  of  my  trousers, 
where  I  had  a  couple  of  bladders  filled  with  good  brandy. 
You  see,  young  'un,  though  everyone  knows  that  it  is 
against  the  law,  no  one  thinks  it  a  crime.  It  is  a  game 
you  play;  if  you  lose  you  pay  handsomely,  but  if  you  win 
you  get  off  scot-free.  I  think  the  lady  who  told  you  it  was 
wrong  did  you  a  very  bad  service,  for  if  she  lived  near  that 
village  she  must  have  known  that  you  would  get  into  no 
end  of  trouble  if  you  were  to  say  you  would  have  nothing 
more  to  do  with  it.  And  how  is  it  ?" — turning  to  Tom — 
"that  you  came  to  go  with  him  ?  You  did  not  take  it  into 
your  head  that  smuggling  was  wrong  too  ?" 

"I  never  thought  of  it,"  Tom  said,  "and  if  I  had  been  told 
so  should  only  have  answered  that  what  was  good  enough 
for  others  was  good  enough  for  me.  I  came  because  Will 
came.  We  had  always  been  great  friends,  and  more  than 
once  joined  to  thrash  a  big  fellow  who  put  upon  us.  But 
the  principal  thing  was  that  a  little  while  ago  he  saved 
me  from  drowning.  There  was  a  deep  cut  running  up  to 


35 

the  foot  of  the  cliffs.  One  day  I  was  running  past  there, 
when  I  slipped,  and  in  falling  hurt  my  leg  badly.  I  am 
only  just  beginning  to  use  it  a  bit  now.  The  pain  was  so 
great  that  I  did  not  know  what  I  was  doing;  I  rolled  off 
the  rock  into  the  water.  My  knee  was  so  bad  that  I  could 
not  swim,  and  the  rock  was  too  high  for  me  to  crawl  out. 
I  had  been  there  for  some  time,  and  was  beginning  to  get 
weak,  when  Will  came  along  on  the  top  of  the  cliff  and 
saw  me.  He  shouted  to  me  to  hold  on  till  he  could  get  down 
to  me.  Then  he  ran  half  a  mile  to  a  place  where  he  was 
able  to  climb  down,  and  tore  back  again  along  the  shore 
till  he  reached  the  cut,  and  then  jumped  in  and  swam  to 
me.  There  was  no  getting  out  on  either  side,  so  he  swam 
with  me  to  the  end  of  the  cut  and  landed  me  there.  I  was 
by  that  time  pretty  nigh  insensible,  but  he  half-helped  and 
half-carried  me  till  we  got  to  the  point  of  the  cliff  where 
he  had  come  down.  Then  he  left  me  and  ran  off  to  the 
village  to  get  help.  So  you  will  understand  now  why  I 
should  wish  to  stick  to  him." 

"I  should  think  so,"  the  sailor  said  warmly.  "It  was  a 
fine  thing  to  do,  and  I  would  be  glad  to  do  it  myself.  Stick 
to  him,  lad,  as  long  as  he  will  let  you.  I  fancy,  from  the 
way  he  speaks  and  his  manner,  that  he  will  mount  up  above 
you,  but  never  you  mind  that/' 

"I  won't,  as  long  as  I  can  keep  by  him,  and  I  hope 
that  soon  I  may  have  a  chance  of  returning  him  the  service 
he  has  done  me.  He  knows  well  enough  that  if  I  could  I 
would  give  my  life  for  him  willingly." 

"I  think,"  the  sailor  said  to  Will  seriously,  "you  are  a 
fortunate  fellow  to  have  made  a  friend  like  that.  A  good 
chum  is  the  next  best  thing  to  a  good  wife.  In  fact,  I  don't 


36  BY    CONDUCT   AND   COURAGE 

know  if  it  is  not  a  bit  better.  Ah,  here  comes  the  boat- 
swain with  a  bit  of  sail-cloth,  so  you  had  better  lie  down 
at  once.  We  shall  most  of  us  turn  in  soon  down  below, 
for  there  is  nothing  to  pass  the  time,  and  I  for  one  shall 
be  very  glad  when  the  cutter  comes  for  us." 

The  boys  chatted  for  some  time  under  cover  of  the  sail- 
cloth. They  agreed  that  things  were  much  better  than  they 
could  have  expected.  The  protection  of  the  boatswain  was 
a  great  thing,  but  that  of  their  sailor  friend  was  better. 
They  hoped  that  he  would  be  told  off  to  the  ship  in  which 
they  went,  for  they  felt  sure  that  he  would  be  a  valuable 
friend  to  them.  The  life  on  board  the  cutter,  too,  had  been 
pleasant,  and  altogether  they  congratulated  themselves  on 
the  course  they  had  taken. 

"I  have  no  doubt  we  shall  like  it  very  much  when  we  are 
once  settled.  They  look  a  rough  lot  down  below,  and  that 
sentry  standing  with  a  loaded  musket  at  the  gangway  shows 
pretty  well  what  sort  of  men  they  are.  I  am  not  surprised 
that  the  pressed  men  should  try  to  get  away,  but  I  have  no 
pity  for  the  drunken  fellows  who  joined  when  they  had 
spent  their  last  shilling.  Our  fishermen  go  on  a  spree  some- 
times, but  not  often,  and  when  they  do,  they  quarrel  and 
fight  a  bit,  but  they  always  go  to  work  the  next  morning." 

"That  is  a  different  thing  altogether,  for  I  heard  that  in 
the  towns  men  will  spend  every  penny  they  have,  give  up 
work  altogether,  and  become  idle,  lazy  loafers." 

Two  days  later,  to  the  great  satisfaction  of  the  boys,  a 
large  cutter  flying  the  white  ensign  was  seen  approaching 
the  harbour.  No  doubt  was  entertained  that  she  was  the 
receiving-ship.  This  was  confirmed  when  the  officer  in 
charge  of  the  depot-ship  was  rowed  to  the  new  arrival  as 


IN   THE   KING'S   SERVICE  37 

soon  as  the  anchor  was  dropped.  A  quarter  of  an  hour 
later  he  returned,  and  it  became  known  that  the  new  hands 
were  to  be  taken  to  Portsmouth.  The  next  morning  two 
boats  rowed  alongside.  Will  could  not  but  admire  the  neat 
and  natty  appearance  of  the  crew,  which  formed  a  some- 
what striking  contrast  to  the  slovenly  appearance  of  the 
gang  on  the  depot-ship.  A  list  of  the  new  men  was  handed 
over  to  the  officer  in  charge,  and  these  were  at  once  trans- 
ferred to  the  big  cutter. 

Here  everything  was  exquisitely  clean  and  neat.  The 
new-comers  were  at  once  supplied  with  uniforms,  and  told 
off  as  supernumeraries  to  each  watch.  Will  and  Tom  re- 
ceived no  special  orders,  and  were  informed  that  they  were 
to  make  themselves  generally  useful.  Beyond  having  to 
carry  an  occasional  message  from  one  or  other  of  the  mid- 
shipmen, or  boatswain,  their  duties  were  of  the  lightest 
kind.  They  helped  at  the  distribution  of  the  messes,  the 
washing  of  the  decks,  the  paring  of  the  potatoes  for  dinner, 
and  other  odd  jobs.  When  not  wanted  they  could  do  as  they 
pleased,  and  Will  employed  every  spare  moment  in  gaining 
what  information  he  could  from  his  friend  Dimchurch,  or 
from  any  sailor  he  saw  disengaged  and  wearing  a  look  that 
invited  interrogation. 

"You  seem  to  want  to  know  a  lot  all  at  once,  youngster," 
one  said. 

"I  have  got  to  learn  it  sooner  or  later/'  Will  replied, 
"and  it  is  just  as  well  to  learn  as  much  as  I  can  while  I 
have  time  on  my  hands.  I  expect  I  shall  get  plenty  to  do 
when  I  join  a  ship  at  Portsmouth.  May  I  go  up  the  rig- 
ging?" 

"That  you  may  not.     You  don't  suppose  that  His  Maj- 


38  BY  CONDUCT  AND  COURAGE 

esty's  ships  are  intended  to  look  like  trees  with  rooks 
perched  all  over  them  ?  You  will  be  taught  all  that  in  due 
time.  There  is  plenty  to  learn  on  deck,  and  when  you 
know  all  that,  it  will  be  time  enough  to  think  of  going 
aloft.  You  don't  want  to  become  a  Blake  or  a  Benbow  all 
at  once,  do  you?" 

"No,"  Will  laughed,  "it  will  be  time  to  think  of  that  in 
another  twenty  years." 

The  sailor  broke  into  a  roar  of  laughter. 

"Well,  there  is  nothing  like  flying  high,  young  Jun ;  but 
there  is  no  reason  why  in  time  you  should  not  get  to  be 
captain  of  the  fore-top  or  coxswain  of  the  captain's  gig.  I 
suppose  either  of  these  would  content  you  ?" 

"I  suppose  it  ought,"  Will  said  with  a  merry  laugh. 
"At  any  rate  it  will  be  time  to  think  of  higher  posts  when 
I  have  gained  one  of  these." 

The  voyage  to  Portsmouth  was  uneventful.  They  stopped 
at  several  receiving-stations  on  their  way  down,  and  before 
they  reached  their  destination  they  had  gathered  a  hundred 
and  twenty  men.  Will  and  Tom  were  astonished  at  the 
bustle  and  activity  of  the  port.  Frigates  and  men-of-war 
lay  off  Portsmouth  and  out  at  Spithead;  boats  of  various 
sizes  rowed  between  them,  or  to  and  from  the  shore.  Never 
had  they  imagined  such  a  scene ;  the  enormous  bulk  of  the 
men-of-war  struck  them  with  wonder.  Will  admired 
equally  the  tapering  spars  and  the  more  graceful  lines  of 
the  frigates  and  corvettes,  and  his  heart  thrilled  with  pride 
as  he  felt  that  he  too  was  a  sailor,  and  a  portion,  however 
insignificant,  of  one  of  these  mighty  engines  of  war. 

The  officer  in  command  of  the  receiving-ship  at  Whitby 
had  passed  on  to  the  captain  of  the  cutter  what  had  been 


IN   THE   KING'S   SERVICE  39 

told  him  of  the  two  boys  by  the  lieutenant  of  the  Antelope, 
and  he  in  turn  related  the  story  to  one  of  the  chief  officers 
of  the  dockyard.  It  happened  that  they  were  the  only  two 
boys  that  had  been  brought  down,  and  the  dockyard  official 
said  it  would  be  a  pity  to  separate  them. 

"I  will  put  them  down  as  part  of  the  crew  of  the  Furious. 
I  want  a  few  specially  strong  and  active  men  for  her ;  her 
commander  is  a  very  dashing  officer,  and  I  should  like  to  see 
that  he  is  well  manned." 

The  two  boys  had  especially  noticed  and  admired  the 
Furious,  which  was  a  thirty-four  gun  frigate,  so  next 
morning,  when  the  new  hands  were  mustered  and  told  off 
to  different  ships,  they  were  delighted  when  they  found 
their  names  appear  at  the  end  of  the  list  for  that  vessel, 
all  the  more  so  because  Dimchurch  was  to  join  her  also. 

"I  am  pleased,  Dimchurch,  that  we  are  to  be  in  the  same 
ship  with  you,"  Will  exclaimed  as  soon  as  the  men  were 
dismissed. 

"I  am  glad,  too,  youngster.  I  have  taken  a  fancy  to  you, 
as  you  seem  to  have  done  to  me,  and  it  will  be  very  pleasant 
for  us  to  be  together.  But  now  you  must  go  and  get  your 
kit-bags  ready  at  once;  we  are  sure  to  be  sent  off  to  the 
Furious  in  a  short  time,  and  it  will  be  a  bad  mark  against 
you  if  you  keep  the  boat  waiting." 

In  a  quarter  of  an  hour  a  boat  was  seen  approaching  from 
the  Furious.  The  officer  in  charge  ascended  to  the  deck  of 
the  cutter,  and  after  a  chat  with  the  captain  called  out  the 
list,  and  counted  the  men  one  by  one  as  they  went  down 
to  the  boat,  each  carrying  his  kit. 

"Not  a  bad  lot,"  he  said  to  the  young  midshipman  sitting 
by  his  side.  "This  pretty  nearly  makes  up  our  comple- 


40  BY  CONDUCT  AND  COUBAGE 

ment;  the  press-gang  are  sure  to  pick  up  the  few  hands 
we  want  either  to-day  or  to-morrow." 

"I  shall  be  glad  when  we  are  off,  sir/'  the  midshipman 
said.  "I  am  never  comfortable,  after  beginning  to  get  into 
commission,  until  we  are  out  on  blue  water." 

"Nor  am  I.  I  hope  the  dockyard  won't  keep  us  waiting 
for  stores.  We  have  got  most  of  them,  but  the  getting  on 
board  of  the  powder  and  shot  is  always  a  long  task,  and  we 
have  to  be  so  careful  with  the  powder.  There  is  the  captain 
on  deck ;  he  is  looking  out,  no  doubt,  to  see  the  new  hands. 
I  am  glad  they  are  good  ones,  for  nothing  puts  him  into  a 
bad  temper  so  readily  as  having  a  man  brought  on  board 
who  is  not,  as  he  considers,  up  to  the  mark." 

As  they  mustered  on  deck  the  captain's  eye  ran  with  a 
keen  scrutiny  over  them.  A  slight  smile  crossed  his  lips 
as  he  came  to  the  two  boys. 

"That  will  do,  Mr.  Ayling ;  they  are  not  a  bad  lot,  taking 
them  one  for  all,  and  there  are  half  a  dozen  men  among 
them  who  ought  to  make  first-rate  topmen.  I  should  say 
half  of  them  have  been  to  sea  before,  and  the  others  will 
soon  be  knocked  into  shape.  The  two  boys  will,  of  course, 
go  into  the  same  mess  as  the  others  who  have  come  on 
board.  One  of  them  looks  a  very  sharp  young  fellow." 

"He  has  been  rather  specially  passed  down,  sir.  He  be- 
longed to  one  of  the  most  noted  smuggling  villages  on  the 
Yorkshire  coast,  which  is  saying  a  great  deal,  and  he  struck 
against  smuggling  because  some  lady  in  the  place  told  him 
that  it  was  wrong.  Of  course  he  drew  upon  himself  the 
enmity  of  the  whole  village.  The  coast-guard  stopped  a 
landing,  and  two  or  three  of  the  fishermen  were  killed. 
The  hostility  against  the  lad,  which  was  entirely  unfounded, 


IN   THE    KING'S   SERVICE  41 

rose  in  consequence  of  this  to  such  a  pitch  that  he  was 
obliged  to  take  refuge  in  the  coast-guard  station.  I  hear 
from  the  captain  of  the  Hearty  that  the  boy  has  been  far 
better  educated  than  the  generality  of  fisher  lads,  and  was 
specially  recommended  to  him  by  the  officer  of  the  receiv- 
ing-ship/' 

"Is  there  anything  extraordinary  about  the  other  boy?" 
the  captain  asked  with  a  slight  smile. 

"No,  sir ;  I  believe  he  joined  chiefly  to  be  near  his  com- 
panion, the  two  being  great  friends." 

"He  looks  a  different  kind  of  boy  altogether/'  the  captain 
said.  "You  could  pick  him  out  as  a  fisher-boy  anywhere, 
and  picture  him  in  high  boots,  baggy  corduroy  breeches, 
and  blue  guernsey." 

"He  is  a  strong,  well-built  lad,  and  I  should  say  a  good 
deal  more  powerful  than  his  friend." 

"Well,  they  are  good  types  of  boys,  and  are  not  likely  to 
give  us  as  much  trouble  as  some  of  those  young  scamps, 
runaway  apprentices  and  so  on,  who  want  a  rope's  end 
every  week  or  so  to  teach  them  to  do  their  duty." 

The  boys  were  taken  down  to  a  deck  below  the  water- 
level,  where  the  crew  were  just  going  to  begin  dinner.  At 
one  end  was  a  table  at  which  six  boys  were  sitting. 

"Hillo,  who  are  you  ?"  the  eldest  among  them  asked.  "I 
warn  you,  if  you  don't  make  things  comfortable,  you  will 
get  your  heads  punched  in  no  time." 

"My  name  is  William  Gilmore,  and  this  is  Tom  Stevens. 
As  to  punching  heads,  you  may  not  find  it  as  easy  as  you 
think.  I  may  warn  you  at  once  that  we  are  friends  and 
will  stick  together,  and  that  there  will  be  no  punching  one 
head  without  having  to  punch  both." 


42  BY    CONDUCT   AND   COURAGE 

"We  shall  see  about  that  before  long,"  the  other  said. 
"Some  of  the  others  thought  they  were  going  to  rule  the 
roost  when  they  joined  a  few  days  ago,  but  I  soon  taught 
them  their  place." 

"Well,  you  can  begin  to  teach  us  ours  as  soon  as  you 
like,"  Tom  Stevens  said.  "We  have  met  bullies  of  your 
sort  before.  Now,  as  dinner  is  going  on,  we  will  have  some 
of  it,  as  they  didn't  victual  us  before  we  left  the  cutter." 

"Well,  then,  you  had  better  go  to  the  cook-house  and 
draw  rations.  No  doubt  the  cook  has  a  list  of  you  fellows' 
names." 

The  boys  took  the  advice  and  soon  procured  a  cooked 
ration  of  meat  and  potatoes.  The  cook  told  them  where 
they  would  find  plates. 

"One  of  the  mess  has  to  wash  them  up,"  he  said,  "and 
stow  them  away  in  the  racks  provided  for  them." 

"Johnson,"  the  eldest  boy  said  to  the  smallest  of  the 
party,  "you  need  not  wash  up  to-day;  that  is  the  duty  of 
the  last  comer." 

"I  suppose  it  is  the  duty  of  each  one  of  the  mess  by  turn," 
Will  said  quietly;  "we  learnt  that  much  as  we  came  down 
the  coast." 

"You  will  have  to  learn  more  than  that,  young  fellow," 
the  bully,  who  was  seventeen,  blustered.  "You  will  have 
to  learn  that  I  am  senior  of  the  mess,  and  will  have  to  do 
as  I  tell  you.  I  have  made  one  voyage  already,  and  all  the 
rest  of  you  are  greenhorns." 

"It  seems  to  me  from  the  manner  in  which  you  speak, 
that  it  is  not  a  question  of  seniority  but  simply  of  bounce 
and  bullying,  and  I  hope  that  the  other  boys  will  no  more 
give  in  to  that  sort  of  thing  than  Stevens  or  myself.  I 


IN  THE   KING'S   SEKVICE  43 

have  yet  to  learn  that  one  boy  is  in  any  way  superior  to 
the  others,  and  in  the  course  of  the  next  hour  I  shall  ascer- 
tain whether  this  is  so." 

"Perhaps,  after  the  meal  is  over,  you  will  go  down  to 
the  lower  deck  and  allow  me  to  give  you  a  lesson." 

"As  I  told  you,"  Will  answered  quietly,  "my  friend  and 
I  are  one.  I  don't  suppose  that  single-handed  I  could 
fight  a  great  hulking  fellow  like  you,  but  my  friend  and  I 
are  quite  willing  to  do  so  together.  So  now  if  there  is  any 
talk  of  fighting,  you  know  what  to  expect." 

The  bully  eyed  the  two  boys  curiously,  but,  like  most  of 
the  type,  he  was  at  heart  a  coward,  and  felt  considerable 
doubt  whether  these  two  boys  would  not  prove  too  much 
for  him.  He  therefore  muttered  sullenly  that  he  would 
choose  his  own  time. 

"All  right !  choose  by  all  means,  and  whenever  you  like 
to  fix  a  time  we  shall  be  perfectly  ready  to  accommodate 
you." 

"Who  on  earth  are  you  with  your  long  words  ?  Are  you 
a  gentleman  in  disguise  ?" 

"Never  mind  who  I  am,"  Will  said.  "I  have  learnt 
enough,  at  any  rate,  to  know  a  bully  and  a  coward  when  I 
meet  him." 

The  lad  was  too  furious  to  answer,  but  finished  his  dinner 
in  silence,  his  anger  being  all  the  more  acute  from  the  fact 
that  he  saw  that  some  of  the  other  boys  were  tittering  and 
nudging  each  other.  But  he  resolved  that,  though  it  might 
be  prudent  for  the  present  to  postpone  any  encounter  with 
the  boys,  he  would  take  his  revenge  on  the  first  opportunity. 


44  BY    CONDUCT   AND   COURAGE 


CHAPTER  III 

A   SEA-FIGHT 

AS  the  conflict  of  words  came  to  an  end,  a  roar  of 
laughter  burst  from  the  sailors  at  the  next  mess- 
table. 

"Well  done,  little  bantam!"  one  said;  "you  have  taken 
that  lout  down  a  good  many  pegs,  and  I  would  not  mind 
backing  you  to  thrash  him  single-handed.  We  have  noticed 
his  goings-on  for  the  past  two  or  three  days  with  the  other 
boys,  and  had  intended  to  give  him  a  lesson,  but  you  have 
done  it  right  well.  He  may  have  been  a  voyage  before,  but 
I  would  wager  that  he  has  never  been  aloft,  and  I  would 
back  you  to  be  at  the  masthead  before  he  has  crawled 
through  the  lubbers'  hole.  Now,  my  lad,  just  you  under- 
stand that  if  you  are  ready  to  fight  both  those  boys  we  won't 
interfere,  but  if  you  try  it  on  one  of  them  we  will." 

The  boys'  duties  consisted  largely  of  working  with  the 
watch  to  which  they  were  attached,  of  scrubbing  decks,  and 
cleaning  brass-work.  In  battle  their  place  was  to  bring  up 
the  powder  and  shot  for  the  guns.  On  the  second  day, 
when  the  work  was  done,  Will  Gilmore  went  up  to  the 
boatswain. 

"If  you  please,  sir,"  he  said,  "may  I  go  up  the  mast  ?" 

The  boatswain  looked  at  him  out  of  one  eye. 

"Do  you  really  want  to  learn,  lad  ?" 


A   SEA-FIGHT  45 

"I  do,  sir." 

"Well,  when  there  are,  as  at  present,  other  hands  aloft, 
you  may  go  up,  but  not  at  other  times." 

"Thank  you,  sir !" 

Will  at  once  started.  He  was  accustomed  to  climb  the 
mast  of  John  Hammond's  boat,  but  this  was  a  very  differ- 
ent matter.  From  scrambling  about  the  cliffs  so  frequently 
he  had  a  steady  eye,  and  could  look  down  without  any  feel- 
ing of  giddiness.  The  lubbers'  hole  had  been  pointed  out  to 
him,  but  he  was  determined  to  avoid  the  ignominy  of  having 
to  go  up  through  it.  When  he  got  near  it  he  paused  and 
looked  round.  It  did  not  seem  to  him  that  there  was  any 
great  difficulty  in  going  outside  it,  and  as  he  knew  he 
could  trust  to  his  hands  he  went  steadily  up  until  he  stood 
on  the  maintop. 

"Hallo,  lad,"  said  a  sailor  who  was  busy  there,  "do  you 
mean  to  say  that  you  have  come  up  outside?" 

"Yes,  there  did  not  seem  to  be  any  difficulty  about  it." 

"And  is  it  the  first  time  you  have  tried?" 

"Yes." 

"Then  one  day  you  will  turn  out  a  first-rate  sailor. 
What  are  you  going  to  do  now?" 

Will  looked  up. 

"I  am  going  up  to  the  top  of  the  next  mast." 

"You  are  sure  that  you  won't  get  giddy  ?" 

"Yes,  I  am  accustomed  to  climbing  up  the  cliffs  on  the 
Yorkshire  coast,  and  I  have  not  the  least  fear  of  losing  my 
head." 

"Well,  then,  fire  away,  lad,  and  if  you  find  that  you  are 
getting  giddy  shout  and  I  will  come  up  to  you." 

"Thank  you !    I  will  call  if  I  want  help." 


46  BY  CONDUCT  AND  COURAGE 

Steadily  he  went  up  till  he  stood  on  the  cap  of  the  top- 
mast. 

"I  may  as  well  go  up  one  more/'  he  said.  "I  can't  think 
why  people  make  difficulties  of  what  is  so  easy." 

The  sailor  called  to  him  as  he  saw  him  preparing  to 
ascend  still  higher,  but  Will  only  waved  his  hand  and 
started  up.  When  he  reached  the  cap  of  the  top-gallant 
mast  he  sat  upon  it  and  looked  down  at  the  harbour.  Pres- 
ently he  heard  a  hail  from  below,  and  saw  the  first  lieuten- 
ant standing  looking  up  at  him. 

"All  right,  sir !  I  will  come  down  at  once,"  and  steadily 
he  descended  to  the  maintop,  where  the  sailor  who  had 
spoken  to  him  abused  him  roundly.  Then  he  went  to 
where  the  lieutenant  was  standing. 

"How  old  are  you,  youngster  ?" 

"I  am  a  little  past  fifteen,  sir." 

"Have  you  ever  been  up  a  mast  before  ?" 

"Never,  sir,  except  that  I  have  climbed  up  a  fishing- 
boat's  mast  many  a  time,  and  I  am  accustomed  to  clamber- 
ing about  the  cliffs.  I  hope  there  was  no  harm  in  my  going 
so  high?" 

"No  harm  as  it  has  turned  out.  You  are  a  courageous 
little  fellow;  I  never  before  saw  a  lad  who  went  outside 
the  lubbers'  hole  on  his  first  ascent.  Well,  I  hope,  my  lad, 
that  you  will  be  as  well-behaved  as  you  are  active  and  coura- 
geous. I  shall  keep  my  eye  upon  you,  and  you  have  my  per- 
mission henceforth,  when  you  have  no  other  duties,  to 
climb  about  the  masts  as  you  like." 

The  lieutenant  afterwards  told  the  captain  of  Will's 
exploit. 

"That  is  the  sort  of  lad  to  make  a  good  topman/'  the 


A   SEA-FIGHT  47 

captain  remarked.  "He  will  soon  be  up  to  the  duties,  but 
will  have  to  wait  to  get  some  beef  on  him  before  he  is  of 
much  use  in  furling  a  sail." 

"I  am  very  glad  to  have  such  a  lad  on  board/'  said  the 
lieutenant.  "If  we  are  at  any  station  on  the  Mediterra- 
nean, and  have  sports  between  the  ships,  I  should  back  him 
.against  any  other  boy  in  the  fleet  to  get  to  the  masthead 
and  down  again." 

One  of  the  midshipmen,  named  Forster,  came  up  to  Will 
when  he  left  the  lieutenant,  and  said :  "Well  done,  young 
'un !  It  was  as  much  as  I  could  do  at  your  age,  though 
I  had  been  two  years  in  the  navy,  to  climb  up  where  you 
did.  If  there  is  anything  I  can  do  for  you  at  any  time 
I  will  gladly  do  it.  I  don't  say  that  it  is  likely,  for  midship- 
men have  no  power  to  speak  of;  still,  if  there  should  be 
anything  I  would  gladly  help  you." 

"There  is  something,  if  you  would  be  so  very  good,  sir. 
I  am  learning  navigation,  but  there  are  some  things  that 
I  can't  make  out,  and  it  would  be  a  kindness  indeed  if  you 
would  spare  a  few  minutes  occasionally  to  explain  them  to 
me." 

The  midshipman  opened  his  eyes. 

"Well,  I  am  blowed,"  he  exclaimed  in  intense  astonish- 
ment. "The  idea  of  a  newly- joined  boy  wanting  to  be  helped 
in  navigation  beats  me  altogether.  However,  lad,  I  will 
certainly  do  as  you  ask  me,  though  I  cannot  think  that, 
unless  you  have  been  at  a  nautical  school,  you  can  know 
anything  about  it.  But  come  to  me  this  evening  during 
the  dog-watches,  and  then  I  will  see  what  you  have  learned 
about  the  subject." 

That  evening  Will  went  on  deck  rather  shyly  with  two 


48  BY    CONDUCT    AND   COURAGE 

or  three  of  his  books.  The  midshipman  was  standing  at 
a  quiet  spot  on  the  deck.  He  glanced  at  Will  enquiringly 
when  he  saw  what  he  was  carrying. 

"Do  you  mean  to  say  that  you  understand  these  hooks  ?" 

"Not  altogether,  sir.  I  think  I  could  work  out  the  lati- 
tude and  longitude  if  I  knew  something  about  a  quadrant, 
but  I  have  never  seen  one,  and  have  no  idea  of  its  use. 
But  what  I  wanted  to  ask  you  first  of  all  was  the  meaning 
of  some  of  these  words  which  I  cannot  find  in  the  diction- 
ary." 

"It  seems  to  me,  youngster,  that  you  know  pretty  well 
as  much  as  I  do,  for  I  cannot  do  more  than  fudge  an  obser- 
vation. How  on  earth  did  you  learn  all  this?  I  thought 
you  were  a  fisher-boy  before  you  joined." 

"So  I  was,  sir.  I  was  an  orphan  at  the  age  of  five. 
My  father  left  enough  money  to  buy  a  boat,  and,  as  one  of 
the  fishermen  had  lately  lost  his,  he  adopted  me,  and  I  be- 
came bound  to  him  as  an  apprentice  till  I  was  fourteen. 
The  clergyman's  daughter  took  a  fancy  to  me  from  the 
first,  and  she  used  to  teach  me  for  half  an  hour  a  day, 
which  gave  me  a  great  advantage  over  the  other  boys  in 
the  school.  I  was  very  fond  of  reading,  and  she  supplied 
me  with  books.  As  I  said  I  meant  to  go  to  sea,  she  bought 
me  some  books  that  would  help  me.  So  there  is  nothing 
extraordinary  in  my  knowing  these  things ;  it  all  came  from 
her  kindness  to  me  for  ten  years." 

"Why  didn't  she  try  to  get  you  into  the  mercantile 
marine  ?" 

"She  got  married  and  left  the  place,  sir,  but  before  she 
went  she  told  me  that  it  was  very  wrong  to  have  anything 
to  do  with  smugglers.  So  I  decided  to  give  it  up,  and  that 


A   SEA-FIGHT  49 

set  the  whole  village  against  me,  and  I  should  probably 
have  been  killed  if  I  had  not  taken  refuge  in  the  coast-guard 
station.  There  the  officer  in  charge  spoke  to  me  of  joining 
the  royal  navy,  and  it  seemed  to  me  that  it  would  do  me 
good  to  serve  a  few  years  in  it;  for  I  could  afterwards,  if 
I  chose,  pass  as  an  officer  in  the  merchant  service." 

"You  are  the  rummest  boy  that  I  ever  came  across/' 
Forster  said.  "Well,  I  must  think  it  over.  Now,  if  there 
is  anything  that  you  specially  wish  to  know,  I  will  explain 
it  to  you." 

For  half  an  hour  they  talked  together,  and  the  midship- 
man solved  many  of  the  problems  that  had  troubled  the  lad. 
Then  with  many  thanks  Will  went  below. 

"Is  it  true,  Will,"  Tom  Stevens  said,  "that  you  have  been 
right  up  the  mast  ?" 

"Not  exactly,  Tom,  but  I  went  up  to  the  top  of  the  top- 
gallant mast." 

"But  why  did  you  do  that?" 

"1  wanted  to  get  accustomed  to  going  up.  There  was 
not  a  bit  of  difficulty  about  it,  except  that  it  was  necessary 
to  keep  a  steady  head.  You  could  do  it  just  as  well  as  I, 
for  we  have  climbed  about  the  cliffs  together  scores  of 
times." 

"Do  you  think  it  will  do  any  good,  Will  ?" 

"Yes,  I  think  so.  When  they  see  that  a  fellow  is  willing 
and  anxious  to  learn,  it  is  sure  to  do  him  good  in  the  long 
run.  It  will  help  him  on,  and  perhaps  in  two  or  three 
years  he  may  get  rated  as  an  able  seaman,  and  no  longer 
be  regarded  as  a  boy,  useful  only  to  do  odd  jobs.  One  of 
the  midshipmen  is  going  to  give  me  some  help  with  my 
navigation.  I  wish,  Tom,  you  would  take  it  up,  too,  but 


50  BY  CONDUCT  AND  COURAGE 

I  am  afraid  it  would  be  no  use.  You  have  got  to  learn  a 
tremendous  lot  before  you  can  master  it,  and  what  little 
you  were  taught  at  our  school  would  hardly  help  you  at 
all." 

"I  know  that  well  enough,  Will,  and  I  should  never 
think  of  such  a  thing.  I  always  was  a  fool.,  and  could 
hardly  take  in  the  little  that  old  woman  tried  to  teach  us. 
No,  it  is  of  no  use  trying  to  make  a  silk  purse  out  of  a 
sow's  ear.  I  hope  that  soon  I  shall  be  able  to  hit  a  good 
round  blow  at  a  Frenchman;  that  is  about  all  I  shall  be 
fit  for,  though  I  hope  I  may  some  day  get  to  be  a  smart 
topman.  The  next  time  you  climb  the  mast  I  will  go  with 
you.  I  don't  think  there  is  enough  in  my  head  to  make 
it  unsteady.  At  any  rate,  I  think  that  I  can  promise  that 
I  won't  do  anything  to  bring  discredit  upon  you." 

The  feat  that  Will  had  performed  had  a  great  effect  upon 
the  bully  of  the  mess.  Before  that  he  had  frequently  en- 
joyed boasting  of  his  experience  in  climbing,  and  even 
hinted  that  he  had  upon  one  occasion  reached  the  mast- 
head. Now  no  more  was  heard  of  this,  for,  as  Tom  said 
openly,  he  was  afraid  that  Will  might  challenge  him  to 
a  climbing-match.  The  next  evening  the  first  lieutenant 
said  to  the  captain:  "That  other  lad  who  was  brought 
down  from  Yorkshire  has  been  up  the  mast  with  his  chum 
this  afternoon.  As  I  told  you,  sir,  I  heard  that  they  were 
great  friends,  and  Stevens  did  as  well  as  the  other." 

"But  there  is  a  great  difference  between  them.  The  one 
is  as  sharp  and  as  bright  as  can  be;  the  other  is  simply 
a  solidly-built  fisher-boy  who  will,  I  have  no  doubt,  make 
a  good  sailor,  but  is  not  likely  to  set  the  Thames  on  fire." 

"Do  you  know,  sir,  Mr.  Forster  came  to  me  this  morn- 


A   SEA-FIGHT  51 

ing,  and  told  me  that  on  his  talking  to  the  boy  he  astounded 
him  by  asking  if  he  would  be  kind  enough  to  explain  a 
few  things  in  navigation,  as  he  had  pretty  well  mastered 
all  the  book-work,  but  had  had  no  opportunity  of  learning 
the  use  of  a  quadrant.  Forster  asked  if  I  had  any  objec- 
tion to  his  giving  him  lessons.  It  is  the  first  time  that 
I  ever  heard  of  such  a  request,  and  to  allow  it  would  be 
contrary  to  all  idea  of  discipline;  still,  a  lad  of  that  sort 
deserves  encouragement,  and  I  will  talk  with  the  padre 
concerning  him.  He  is  one  of  the  most  good-natured  of 
men,  and  I  think  he  would  not  mind  giving  a  quarter  of 
an  hour  a  day  to  this  boy,  after  he  has  dismissed  the  mid- 
shipmen from  their  studies.  Of  course  he  must  do  the 
same  work  as  the  other  boys,  and  no  distinction  must  be 
made  between  them." 

"Certainly  not.  I  think  the  idea  is  an  excellent  one, 
and  I  have  not  much  doubt  that  Mr.  Simpson  will  fall  in 
with  it." 

The  first  lieutenant  went  off  at  once  to  find  the  clergy- 
man. 

"Well,  he  must  be  a  strange  boy,"  the  chaplain  said 
when  the  case  was  laid  before  him ;  "I  should  not  be  sur- 
prised if  a  fellow  like  that  found  his  way  to  the  quarter- 
deck some  day.  He  appears  to  be  a  sort  of  admirable  Crich- 
ton.  Such  an  amount  of  learning  is  extraordinary  in  a  boy 
of  his  age  and  with  his  opportunities,  especially  in  one 
active  and  courageous  enough  to  go  up  to  the  cap  of  the 
top-gallant  mast  on  his  first  trial  in  climbing  a  mast.  Cer- 
tainly I  shall  be  very  glad  to  take  the  boy  on,  and  will  will- 
ingly give  him,  as  you  say,  a  quarter  of  an  hour  a  day.  I 
feel  sure  that  my  time  will  not  be  wasted.  I  never  before 


52  BY  CONDUCT  AND  COURAGE 

heard  of  a  ship's  boy  who  wished  to  be  instructed  in  naviga- 
tion, and  I  shall  be  glad  to  help  such  an  exceptional  lad." 

The  next  day  the  Furious,  having  received  all  her  stores, 
went  out  to  Spithead.  The  midshipmen  had  been  all  fully 
engaged,  and  there  were  no  lessons  with  the  padre,  but  on 
the  following  day  these  were  resumed,  and  presently  one  of 
the  other  boys  came  down  with  a  message  that  Will  was 
to  go  to  the  padre's  cabin. 

"I  have  arranged,  lad,"  the  chaplain  said  when  he  en- 
tered, "to  give  you  a  quarter  of  an  hour  a  day  to  help  you 
on  with  your  navigation,  and  I  take  it  that  you,  on  your 
part,  are  ready  to  do  the  work.  It  seems  to  me  almost 
out  of  the  question  that  you  can  be  advanced  enough  to 
enter  upon  such  studies.  That,  however,  I  shall  soon  as- 
certain. Now  open  that  book  and  let  me  see  how  you 
would  work  out  the  following  observation,  and  he  gave 
him  the  necessary  data. 

In  five  minutes  Will  handed  him  the  result. 

"Of  course,  sir,  to  obtain  the  exact  answer  I  should 
require  to  know  more  than  you  have  given  me." 

"That  is  quite  right.  To-morrow  you  shall  go  on  deck 
with  me,  and  I  will  show  you  how  to  use  a  quadrant  and 
take  the  altitude  of  the  sun,  and  from  it  how  to  calculate 
the  longitude,  which  is  somewhat  more  difficult  than  the 
latitude.  I  see  you  have  a  good  knowledge  of  figures,  and 
I  am  quite  sure  that  at  the  end  of  a  few  days'  work  you 
will  be  able  to  take  an  observation  that  will  be  close  enough 
for  all  practical  purposes." 

He  then  asked  Will  many  questions  as  to  his  course  of 
study,  the  books  he  had  read,  and  the  manner  in  which  he 
had  got  up  the  book-work  of  navigation. 


A   SEA-FIGHT  53 

"But  how  did  you  manage  about  logarithms,"  he  said. 
"I  generally  find  them  great  stumbling-blocks  in  the  way 
of  my  pupils." 

"I  don't  really  understand  them  now,  sir.  I  can  look 
down  the  columns  and  find  the  number  I  want,  and  see 
how  it  works  out  the  result,  but  why  it  should  do  so  I  have 
not  been  able  to  understand.  It  seems  quite  different  from 
other  operations  in  figures/' 

"It  is  so,"  the  chaplain  said,  "and  let  me  tell  you  that 
not  one  navigator  in  fifty  really  grasps  the  principle.  They 
'fudge',  as  it  is  termed,  the  answer,  and  if  they  get  it  right 
are  quite  content  without  troubling  themselves  in  any  way 
with  the  principle  involved.  If  you  want  to  be  a  good 
navigator  you  must  grasp  the  principle,  and  work  the  an- 
swer out  for  yourself.  When  you  can  do  this  you  will  have 
a  right  to  call  yourself  a  navigator.  If  you  come  to  me 
at  twelve  o'clock  to-morrow  I  will  show  you  how  to  work 
a  quadrant.  The  theory  is  easy.  You  have  but  to  take 
the  angle  the  sun  makes  with  the  horizon  at  its  moment 
of  highest  ascension.  In  practice,  however,  this  is  far 
from  easy,  and  you  will  be  some  time  before  you  can  hit 
upon  the  right  moment.  It  requires  patience  and  close 
observation,  but  if  you  have  these  qualities  you  will  soon 
pick  it  up." 

The  sailors  were  the  next  day  greatly  astonished  at  see- 
ing the  chaplain  take  his  place  at  the  side  of  the  ship  and 
explain  to  Will  the  methods  of  taking  an  observation. 

In  the  meantime  Will  was  making  rapid  progress  in  the 
good  graces  of  the  crew.  He  was  always  ready  to  render 
assistance  in  running  messages,  in  hauling  on  ropes,  and 
generally  making  himself  useful  in  all  respects.  His  fight 


54  BY  CONDUCT  AND  COURAGE 

with  Robert  Jones  had  come  off.  Will  had  gained  great 
confidence  in  himself  when  he  found  that  he  was  able  to 
climb  the  mast  in  the  ordinary  way,  while  Tom  Stevens 
was  able  only  to  crawl  up  through  the  lubbers'  hole.  Goaded 
to  madness  by  the  chaff  of  the  other  boys,  all  of  whom  had 
ranged  themselves  under  Will's  banner,  Jones  threw  down 
the  challenge.  Tom  Stevens  was  most  anxious  that  Will 
should  not  take  it  up  except  on  the  condition  stated,  but 
Will  proclaimed  a  profound  contempt  for  the  bully. 

"I  will  try  it  myself,  Tom.  I  can  hardly  fail  to  lick  such 
a  braggart  as  that.  I  don't  believe  he  has  any  muscles  to 
speak  of  in  that  big  body  of  his,  while  I  am  as  hard  as 
nails.  No  doubt  it  will  be  a  tough  fight  if  he  has  a  scrap 
of  pluck  in  him,  but  I  think  I  will  win.  Besides,  if  he 
does  beat  me,  he  will  certainly  get  little  credit  for  it,  while 
I  shall  have  learnt  a  lot  that  will  be  useful  to  me  in  the 
next  fight." 

Accordingly,  at  the  time  appointed  the  two  lads  went 
down  to  the  orlop  deck,  a  good  many  of  the  sailors  accom- 
panying them.  An  ordinary  fight  between  boys  attracted 
little  attention,  but  the  disparity  between  the  years  of  the 
combatants,  and  the  liking  entertained  for  Will,  brought 
most  of  those  who  were  off  duty  to  witness  it.  The  differ- 
ence between  the  antagonists  when  they  stripped  was  very 
marked.  Robert  Jones  was  fully  three  stone  the  heavier 
and  four  inches  the  taller,  but  he  was  flabby  and  altogether 
out  of  condition,  while  Will  was  as  hard  as  nails,  and  as 
active  on  his  feet  as  a  kid. 

"It  is  ten  to  one  against  the  young  ?un,"  one  of  the  men 
said,  "but  if  he  holds  on  for  the  first  five  rounds  I  would 
back  him  at  evens." 


AFTER   HIS   FIRST   FIGHT. 


A   SEA-FIGHT  55 

"So  would  I,"  another  said,  "but  I  doubt  whether  he  can 
do  so ;  the  odds  are  too  great  against  him." 

"I  will  take  four  to  one/'  another  said.  "Look  at  the 
young  'un's  muscles  down  his  back.  You  won't  often  see 
anything  better  among  lads  two  years  older  than  he  is." 

The  fight  began  with  a  tremendous  rush  on  the  part  of 
Jones.  Will  stood  his  ground  doggedly,  and  struck  his 
opponent  fairly  between  the  eyes,  making  him  shake  his 
head  like  an  exasperated  bull.  Time  after  time  Jones  re- 
peated the  manoeuvre,  but  only  once  or  twice  landed  a  blow, 
while  he  never  escaped  without  a  hard  return.  At  length 
he  began  to  feel  the  effects  of  his  own  efforts,  and  stood  on 
the  defensive,  panting  for  breath.  Now  it  was  Will's  turn. 
He  danced  round  and  round  his  opponent  with  the  activity 
of  a  goat,  dodging  in  and  delivering  a  heavy  body-blow 
and  then  leaping  out  again  before  his  opponent  could  get 
any  return.  The  cheers  of  the  sailors  rose  louder  and 
louder,  and  Will  heard  them  shouting :  "Go  in ;  finish  him, 
lad !"  But  Will  was  too  prudent  to  risk  anything ;  he  knew 
that  the  battle  was  in  his  hands  unless  he  threw  it  away, 
and  that  Jones  was  well-nigh  pumped  out.  At  last,  after 
dealing  a  heavy  blow,  he  saw  his  antagonist  stagger  back, 
and  in  an  instant  sprang  forward  and  struck  him  between 
the  eyes  with  far  greater  force  than  he  had  before 
exerted.  Jones  fell  like  a  log,  and  was  altogether  unable 
to  come  up  to  time.  A  burst  of  cheering  rose  from  the 
crowd,  and  many  and  hearty  were  the  congratulations 
Will  received. 

"What  was  going  on  this  afternoon,  Mr.  Farrance?" 
asked  the  captain ;  "I  heard  a  lot  of  cheering." 

"I  made  enquiry  about  it,  sir,  and  the  boatswain  told 


56  BY  CONDUCT  AND  COURAGE 

me  that  it  was  only  a  fight  between  two  of  the  boys.     Of 
course  he  had  not  been  present." 

"Ah !  It  is  not  often  that  a  boys'  fight  excites  such  in- 
terest. Who  were  they  ?" 

"They  were  Jones,  the  biggest  of  the  boys,  and  by  no 
means  a  satisfactory  character,  and  young  Gilmore." 

"Why,  Jones  is  big  enough  to  eat  him." 

"Yes,  sir,  at  any  rate  he  ought  to  have  been.  He  was 
a  great  bully  when  he  first  came  on  board,  but  the  other 
tackled  him  as  soon  as  they  were  together,  and  it  seems  he 
has  to-day  given  him  as  handsome  a  thrashing  as  could  be 
wished  for,  and  that  without  being  seriously  hurt  himself. 
He  has  certainly  established  his  supremacy  among  the  boys 
of  this  ship." 

"That  boy  is  out  of  the  common,"  the  captain  said.  "A 
ship's  boy  newly  joined  taking  up  navigation,  going  about 
the  masts  like  a  monkey,  and  finally  thrashing  a  fellow 
two  years  his  senior  must  be  considered  as  altogether  excep- 
tional. I  shall  certainly  keep  my  eye  upon  him,  and  give 
him  every  opportunity  I  can  for  making  his  way." 

Will  received  his  honours  quietly. 

"There  is  nothing,"  he  said,  "in  fighting  a  fellow  who  is 
altogether  out  of  condition,  and  has  a  very  small  amount 
of  pluck  to  make  up  for  it.  I  was  convinced  when  we  first 
met  that  he  had  nothing  behind  his  brag,  though  I  certainly 
did  not  expect  to  beat  him  as  easily  as  I  did.  Well,  I  hope 
we  shall  be  good  friends  in  future.  I  have  no  enmity 
against  him,  and  there  is  no  reason  why  we  should  not  get 
on  well  together  after  this." 

"I  don't  know,"  said  the  sailor  to  whom  he  was  speaking ; 
"a  decent  fellow  will  make  it  up  and  think  no  more  about 


A   SEA-FIGHT  57 

it,  but  if  I  am  not  mistaken,  Eobert  Jones  will  do  you  a 
bad  turn  if  he  gets  the  chance." 

No  one  was  more  delighted  at  the  result  than  Tom  Ste- 
vens, who  had  cheered  loudly  and  enthusiastically.  Dim- 
church  was  also  exuberant  at  Will's  success. 

"I  knew  that  you  were  a  good  un,  but  I  never  thought 
you  could  have  tackled  that  fellow.  I  don't  know  what  to 
make  of  you;  as  a  general  thing,  as  far  as  I  have  seen,  a 
fellow  who  takes  to  books  is  no  good  for  anything  else,  but 
everything  seems  to  agree  with  you.  If  I  am  not  mistaken, 
you  will  be  on  the  quarter-deck  before  many  years  have 
passed." 

They  were  now  running  down  channel,  and  the  boys  were 
astonished  at  the  ease  and  smoothness  with  which  the  ship 
breasted  the  waves,  and  at  the  mass  of  snowy  canvas  that 
towered  above  her.  As  they  sat  one  day  at  the  bow  watch- 
ing the  sheets  of  spray  rise  as  the  ship  cut  her  way  through 
the  water,  Tom  said  to  his  friend :  "You  are  going  up 
above  me  quick,  Will.  Anyone  can  see  that.  You  are 
thought  a  lot  of.  I  knew  it  would  be  so,  and  I  said  I 
should  not  grudge  it  you ;  in  fact,  the  greater  your  success 
the  better  I  shall  be  pleased.  But  I  did  not  think  that  your 
learning  would  have  made  such  a  difference  already.  The 
first  lieutenant  often  says  a  word  to  you  as  he  passes,  and 
the  padre  generally  speaks  to  you  when  he  goes  along  the 
deck.  It  is  wonderful  what  a  difference  learning  makes; 
not,  mind  you,  that  I  should  ever  have  gone  in  for  it,  even 
had  I  known  how  useful  it  is.  I  could  never  have  taken  it 
in,  and  I  am  sure  the  old  woman  could  never  have  taught 
me.  I  suppose  some  fellows  are  born  clever  and  others 
grow  to  it.  And  some  never  are  clever  at  all.  That  was 


58  BY    CONDUCT   AND   COURAGE 

my  way,  I  suppose.  I  just  learned  to  spell  words  of  two 
letters,  which,  of  course,  was  of  no  use.  A  fellow  can't  do 
much  with  ha,  be,  by,  and  bo,  and  these  are  about  all  the 
words  I  remember.  I  used  to  think,  when  we  first  became 
chums,  how  foolish  you  were  to  be  always  reading  and 
studying.  Now  I  see  what  a  pull  you  have  got  by  it.  I 
expect  it  is  partly  because  your  father  was  a  clever  man, 
and,  as  most  of  the  people  thought,  a  gentleman,  that  you 
came  to  take  to  it.  Well,  if  I  had  my  time  over  again  I 
would  really  try  to  learn  something.  I  should  never  make 
much  of  it,  but  still,  I  suppose  I  should  have  got  to  read 
decently." 

"Certainly  you  would,  Tom ;  and  when  you  once  had  got 
to  read,  so  as  to  be  able  to  enjoy  it,  you  would  have  gone 
through  all  sorts  of  books  and  got  lots  of  information  from 
them.  I  am  afraid,  however,  it  is  too  late  to  worry  over 
that.  A  man  may  be  a  good  man  and  a  good  sailor  without 
knowing  how  to  read  and  write.  I  am  sure  you  will  do  your 
share  when  it  comes  to  that." 

"I  wonder  when  we  shall  fall  in  with  a  Frenchman  ?" 

"There  is  no  saying.  You  may  be  sure  that  every  man 
on  board  is  longing  to  do  so.  I  hope  she  will  be  a  bit  bigger 
than  we  are,  and  I  know  the  captain  hopes  so  too.  He  is 
for  ever  watching  every  ship  that  comes  in  sight." 

When  running  down  the  coast  of  Spain  one  day  the  look- 
out at  the  masthead  shouted :  "A  sail !" 

"What  is  she  like  ?"  the  first  lieutenant  hailed. 

"I  can  only  see  her  top-gallant  sails,  sir,  but  she  is  cer- 
tainly a  square-rigged  ship  bound  south,  and  her  sails  have 
a  foreign  cut." 

The  first  lieutenant  swung  his  telescope  over  his  shoulder 


A   SEA-FIGHT  59 

and  mounted  the  rigging.  When  he  came  to  the  top-gallant 
crosstrees  he  sat  down  and  gazed  into  the  distance  through 
his  glass. 

After  making  a  careful  examination  of  the  ship  he  called 
to  the  captain,  who  was  now  on  deck : 

"She  is,  as  Johnson  says,  sir,  a  square-rigged  ship,  and 
I  agree  with  him  as  to  the  cut  of  her  sails.  She  is  certainly 
a  Frenchman,  and  evidently  a  large  frigate.  She  is  run- 
ning down  the  coast  as  we  are,  and  I  expect  hopes  to  get 
through  the  Straits  at  night." 

"Well,  edge  in  towards  her,"  the  captain  said.  "Lower 
the  top-gallant  sails.  If  she  hasn't  already  made  us  out, 
I  shall  be  able  to  work  in  a  good  deal  closer  to  her  before 
she  does  so." 

All  hands  were  now  on  the  qui  vive,  but  it  was  not  for 
some  time  that  the  stranger  could  be  made  out  from  the 
deck. 

"You  can  get  up  our  top-gallant  sails  again,"  the  captain 
said.  "She  must  have  made  us  out  by  this  time,  and  she 
certainly  has  gained  upon  us  since  we  first  saw  her.  There 
is  no  longer  any  possibility  of  concealment,  so  hoist  royals 
as  well  as  top-gallant  sails." 

The  stranger  made  no  addition  to  her  sails.  By  this  time 
those  on  board  the  Furious  were  able  to  judge  of  her  size, 
and  came  to  the  conclusion  that  she  was  a  battle-ship  of 
small  size,  and  ought  to  be  more  than  a  match  for  the 
Furious.  The  vessels  gradually  approached  each  other, 
until  at  last  a  shot  was  thrown  across  the  bows  of 
'the  Frenchman.  She  made  no  reply,  but  continued 
on  her  way  as  if  unconscious  of  the  presence  of  the 
English  frigate.  The  crew  of  the  Furious  could  now  make 


60  BY    CONDUCT    AND   COURAGE 

out  that  she  had  fifty  guns,  whereas  their  own  ship  had 
thirty-four. 

"Just  comfortable  odds/'  the  captain  said  quietly  when 
this  was  reported  to  him.  "I  have  no  doubt  she  carries 
heavier  metal  as  well  as  more  guns.  Altogether  she  would 
be  a  satisfactory  prize  to  send  into  Portsmouth." 

The  men  had  not  waited  for  orders,  but  had  mustered 
to  quarters  on  their  own  account.  The  guns  were  run  in 
and  loaded,  and  the  boarding-pikes  got  ready.  In  five 
minutes  orders  were  given  to  fire  another  shot.  There  was 
a  cheer  as  white  splinters  were  seen  to  fly  from  the  French- 
man's side.  Her  helm  was  put  up  at  once,  and  she  swept 
round  and  fired  a  broadside  into  the  Furious.  Four  or  five 
shots  took  effect,  some  stays  and  ropes  were  cut,  and  two 
shots  swept  across  her  deck,  killing  three  of  the  sailors  and 
knocking  down  several  of  the  others. 

"Aim  steadily,  lads,"  the  captain  shouted ;  "don't  throw 
away  a  shot.  It  is  our  turn  now.  All  aim  at  her  centre 
ports.  Fire !" 

The  ship  swayed  from  the  recoil  of  the  guns,  and  then 
she  swung  half-round  and  a  broadside  was  poured  into  the 
Frenchman  from  the  other  side. 

After  this  Will  and  Tom  knew  little  more  of  what  was 
going  on,  for  they  were  kept  busy  running  to  and  from  the 
magazine  with  fresh  cartridges.  They  were  not  tall  enough 
to  see  over  the  bulwarks,  and  were  only  able  to  peep  out 
occasionally  from  one  of  the  port-holes.  They  presently 
heard  from  the  shouts  and  exclamations  of  the  men  that 
everything  was  going  well,  and  on  looking  out  they  saw 
that  the  enemy's  foremast  had  been  shot  away,  and  in  con- 
sequence she  was  unmanageable.  The  crew  of  the  Furious 


A   SEA-FIGHT  61 

had  suffered  heavily,  but  her  main  spars  were  intact,  and 
the  captain,  manoeuvring  with  great  skill,  was  able  to  sail 
backwards  and  forwards  across  the  enemy's  stern  and  rake 
him  repeatedly  fore  and  aft. 

So  the  fight  continued  until  at  last  the  captain  gave 
the  order  to  lay  the  ship  alongside  the  Frenchman  and 
board.  There  was  no  more  work  for  the  powder-monkeys 
now,  so  Will  and  Tom  seized  boarding-pikes  and  joined  in 
the  rush  on  to  the  enemy's  deck.  The  resistance,  however, 
was  short-lived;  the  enemy  had  suffered  terribly  from  the 
raking  fire  of  the  Furious,  and  as  the  captain  and  many 
of  the  officers  had  fallen,  the  senior  survivor  soon  ordered 
the  flag  to  be  lowered.  A  tremendous  cheer  broke  from  the 
British.  They  now  learned  that  the  ship  they  had  captured 
was  the  Proserpine,  which  was  on  her  way  to  enter  the 
Mediterranean  and  effect  a  junction  with  the  French  fleet 
at  Toulon. 

The  next  day  the  crew  worked  hard  to  get  up  a  jury  fore- 
mast. When  this  was  done  a  prize  crew  was  put  on  board. 
The  French  prisoners  were  confined  below,  as  they  far  out- 
numbered their  captors.  Then,  having  repaired  her  own 
damages,  the  Furious  proceeded  on  her  way. 

On  arriving  at  Gibraltar  the  captain  received  orders  to 
proceed  to  Malta,  and  to  place  himself  under  the  order  of 
the  admiral  there.  For  a  time  matters  proceeded  quietly, 
for  the  winds  were  light  and  baffling,  and  it  took  a  fortnight 
to  get  to  their  destination.  Here  the  ship  was  thoroughly 
examined,  and  the  damage  she  had  suffered  more  satis- 
factorily repaired  than  had  been  possible  while  she  was 
at  sea. 

When  the  overhauling  was  completed  she  received  orders 


62  BY  CONDUCT  AND  COURAGE 

to  cruise  off  the  coast  of  Africa.  This  was  by  no  means 
pleasing  to  the  crew,,  who  considered  that  they  had  small 
chance  of  falling  in  with  anything  of  their  own  size  on  that 
station.  They  were  told,  however,  that  there  had  been  seri- 
ous complaints  of  piracy  on  the  part  of  the  Moors,  and  that 
they  were  specially  to  direct  their  attention  to  punishing 
the  perpetrators  of  such  acts.  , 

One  morning  three  strange  craft  were  sighted  lying  close 
together.  Unfortunately,  however,  it  was  a  dead  calm. 

"They  are  Moors,  certainly,"  the  captain  said  to  the  first 
lieutenant  after  examining  them  with  his  glass.  "What 
would  I  not  give  for  a  breath  of  wind  now  ?  But  they  are 
not  going  to  escape  us.  Get  all  the  boats  hoisted  out,  and 
take  command  of  the  expedition  yourself/' 

Immediately  all  was  bustle  on  board  the  ship,  and  in  a 
very  short  time  every  boat  was  lowered  into  the  water.  Will 
was  looking  on  with  longing  eyes  as  the  men  took  their 
places.  The  lieutenant  noticed  him. 

"Clamber  down  into  the  bow  of  my  boat,"  he  said ;  "you 
deserve  it." 

In  the  highest  state  of  delight  Will  seized  a  spare  cutlass 
and  made  his  way  into  the  bow  of  the  boat  amid  the  jokes 
of  the  men.  These,  however,  were  stilled  the  moment  the 
first  lieutenant  took  his  place  in  the  stern. 

The  Moors  had  not  been  idle.  As  soon  as  they  saw  that 
the  boats  had  been  lowered  they  got  out  their  sweeps  and 
began  to  row  at  a  pace  which  the  lieutenant  saw  would  tax 
the  efforts  of  his  oarsmen  to  the  utmost.  The  Moors  had 
fully  three  miles  start,  and,  although  the  men  bent  to  their 
oars  with  the  best  will,  they  gained  very  slowly.  The  officers 
in  the  various  boats  encouraged  them  with  their  shouts,  and 


A   SEA-FIGHT  63 

the  men  pulled  nobly.  Five  miles  had  been  passed  and  but 
one  mile  gained.  It  was  evident,  however,  that  the  efforts 
of  the  Moorish  rowers  were  flagging,  while  the  sailors  were 
rowing  almost  as  strongly  as  when  they  started.  Three 
more  miles  and  another  mile  had  been  gained.  Then 
from  the  three  vessels  came  a  confused  fire  of  cannon 
of  all  sizes. 

Several  men  were  hit,  boats  splintered,  and  oars  smashed. 
The  first  lieutenant  shouted  orders  for  the  boats  to  open 
out  so  that  the  enemy  would  no  longer  have  a  compact 
mass  to  aim  at.  At  last,  after  another  mile,  the  Moors 
evidently  came  to  the  conclusion  that  they  could  not  escape 
by  rowing,  and  at  once  drew  in  their  oars,  lowered  their 
sails,  and  all  formed  in  line.  As  soon  as  this  manoeuvre  was 
completed  heavy  firing  began  again.  Will,  lying  in  the 
bow,  looked  out  ahead,  and,  seeing  the  sea  torn  up  with 
balls,  wondered  that  any  of  the  boats  should  escape  un- 
harmed. 

The  lieutenant  shouted  to  the  boats  to  divide  into  two 
parties,  one,  led  by  himself,  to  attack  the  vessel  on  the  left 
of  the  line,  and  the  other,  under  the  second  lieutenant,  to 
deal  with  the  ship  on  the  right,  for  the  middle  boat  would 
assuredly  be  captured  if  the  other  two  were  taken. 

"Kow  quietly,  men,"  he  shouted;  "you  will  want  your 
breath  if  it  comes  to  fighting.  Keep  on  at  a  steady  pace 
until  within  two  hundred  yards  of  them,  and  then  make 
a  dash." 

This  order  was  carried  out  by  both  parties,  and  when 
within  the  given  distance  the  men  gave  a  cheer,  and,  bend- 
ing their  backs  to  the  oars,  sent  the  boats  tearing  through 
the  water.  The  pirate  craft  were  all  crowded  with  men, 


64  BY    CONDUCT    AND   COURAGE 

who  raised  yells  of  rage  and  defiance.  However,,  except  that 
one  boat  was  sunk  by  a  shot  that  struck  her  full  in  the 
bow,  Lieutenant  Farrance's  party  reached  their  vessel. 

The  first  to  try  to  climb  on  board  were  all  cut  down  or 
thrown  backwards,  but  at  length  the  men  gained  a  footing 
on  the  deck,  and,  led  by  Mr.  Farrance,  fell  upon  the  enemy 
with  great  spirit.  Will  was  the  last  to  climb  up  out  of  his 
boat,  but  he  soon  pushed  his  way  forward  until  he  was 
close  behind  the  lieutenant.  Several  times  the  boarders 
were  pushed  back,  but  as  often  they  rallied,  and  won  their 
way  along  the  deck  again. 

During  one  of  these  rushes  Lieutenant  Farrance's  foot 
slipped  in  a  pool  of  blood,  and  he  fell  to  the  deck.  Two 
Moors  sprang  at  him,  but  Will  leapt  forward,  whirling 
his  cutlass,  and  by  luck  rather  than  skill  cut  down  one  of 
them.  The  other  attacked  him  and  dealt  him  a  severe  blow 
on  the  arm,  but  before  he  could  repeat  it  the  lieutenant 
had  regained  his  feet,  and,  springing  forward,  had  run 
the  Moor  through  the  body. 

Another  five  minutes'  fighting  and  all  resistance  was  at 
an  end.  Some  of  the  Moors  rushed  below,  others  jumped 
overboard  and  swam  to  their  consort.  As  soon  as  resistance 
had  ceased  the  lieutenant  ordered  the  majority  of  the  men 
to  return  to  the  boats,  and,  leaving  a  sufficient  number  to 
hold  the  captured  vessel,  proceeded  to  the  attack  of  the 
middle  craft. 

The  fight  here  was  even  more  stubborn  than  before,  for 
the  men  that  fled  from  the  ships  that  had  already  been  taken 
had  strongly  reinforced  the  crew  of  this  one.  The  British, 
however,  were  not  to  be  denied.  The  boats  of  one  division 
attacked  on  one  side,  those  of  the  second  on  the  other,  and, 


PROMOTED  65 

after  nearly  a  quarter  of  an  hour's  hard  fighting,  brought 
the  enemy  to  their  knees. 

The  pirates  were  all  now  battened  down,  the  wounded 
seamen  cared  for  by  the  doctor  who  had  accompanied  the 
expedition,  and  the  bodies  of  the  dead  Moors  thrown  over- 
board. When  this  was  done  the  successful  expedition  pre- 
pared to  return  to  the  Furious.  They  had  lost  twenty-eight 
killed,  and  nearly  forty  wounded. 

"The  loss  has  been  very  heavy,"  the  first  lieutenant  said 
when  the  return  was  given  to  him ;  "and  to  do  the  fellows 
justice  they  fought  desperately.  Well,  now  we  have  to  get 
back  to  the  ship,  which  is  a  good  ten  miles  away.  She  is 
still  becalmed,  and  so  are  we,  and  unless  the  wind  springs 
up  we  shall  hardly  reach  her  before  nightfall.  I  don't  like 
to  ask  the  men  for  more  exertions  after  a  ten  miles  row 
at  such  a  ripping  pace;  still,  it  must  be  done.  Let  two 
boats  take  each  of  the  pirates  in  tow ;  they  shall  be  relieved 
every  hour/' 

The  sailors,  who  were  in  high  glee  at  their  success,  took 
their  places  in  the  boats  cheerfully,  but  when  night  fell 
they  were  still  more  than  four  miles  away  from  the  frigate. 


CHAPTER  IV 

PROMOTED 

THE  lieutenant  took  a  boat  when  it  became  dusk  and 
rowed  to  the  frigate,  where  he  handed  in  his  report 
of  the  fight. 

"I  will  read  that  later,  Mr.  Farrance,"  the  captain  said. 


66  BY  CONDUCT  AND  COUKAGB 

"Meanwhile,  tell  me  briefly  what  is  the  result  ?  Of  course 
I  saw  you  returning  with  the  three  vessels  in  tow." 

"We  had  a  very  sharp  fight,  sir,  and  I  am  sorry  to  say 
that  the  casualties  are  heavy,  twenty-eight  killed  and  nearly 
forty  wounded  more  or  less  severely." 

"That  is  a  heavy  list  indeed,  Mr.  Farrance,  very  heavy, 
and  we  are  the  less  able  to  bear  it  since  we  have  some  sev- 
enty men  away  on  the  French  prize.  The  rascals  must  have 
fought  desperately." 

"They  did,  sir.  I  am  bound  to  say  that  men  could 
hardly  have  fought  better.  We  had  very  hard  work  with 
the  two  outside  ships,  and  as  most  of  the  fellows  jumped 
overboard  and  swam  to  the  other,  we  had  an  even  stifTer 
fight  there.  In  fact,  if  we  had  had  only  one  of  our  division 
of  boats  available  I  am  sure  we  should  not  have  carried 
her." 

"What  are  the  casualties  among  the  officers  ?" 

"Midshipman  Howard  is  killed,  sir,  and  Lieutenant  Ayl- 
ing  and  Midshipman  James  very  severely  wounded.  I  my- 
self had  a  very  narrow  escape.  I  slipped  upon  some  blood, 
and  two  Moors  rushed  at  me  and  would  have  killed  me  had 
not  that  boy  Gilmore  thrown  himself  between  us.  He 
waved  his  cutlass  about  wildly,  and,  principally  from  good 
luck,  I  think,  cut  down  one  of  them.  On  this  the  other 
attacked  him,  and  I  had  time  to  get  to  my  feet  again.  As 
soon  as  I  was  up  I  ran  the  Moor  through,  but  not  before 
he  had  given  the  boy  a  very  ugly  wound  on  the  arm." 

"That  is  a  wonderful  boy,"  the  captain  said  with  a 
smile.  "I  think  he  is  too  good  to  remain  where  he  is, 
and  I  must  put  him  on  the  quarter-deck." 

"I  should  feel  greatly  obliged  if  you  would,  sir,  for  there 


PEOMOTED  67 

is  no  doubt  that  he  saved  my  life.  He  is  certainly  as  well 
up  in  his  work  as  any  of  the  midshipmen.  The  chaplain 
told  me  only  yesterday  that  he  had  learnt  to  use  the  quad- 
rant, and  can  take  an  observation  quite  as  accurately  as 
most  of  his  pupils." 

"Such  a  boy  as  that/7  said  the  captain,  "ought  to  be  given 
a  chance  of  rising  in  his  profession.  He  is  quite  at  home 
aloft,  and  may  be  fairly  called  a  sailor.  He  is  certainly  a 
favourite  with  the  whole  crew,  and  I  think,  if  promoted, 
will  give  every  satisfaction.  Very  well,  Farrance,  we  may 
consider  that  as  settled." 

"Thank  you  very  much,  sir !  I  need  hardly  say  that  it 
will  be  a  pleasure  to  me  to  fit  him  out." 

The  next  morning  there  was  a  light  breeze,  and  the 
three  prizes,  which  had  remained  four  miles  from  the  fri- 
gate through  the  night,  closed  up  to  her.  The  wounded 
were  transshipped,  and  a  prize  crew  was  told  off  to 
each  of  the  captures,  a  considerable  portion  of  the 
Moors  being  also  transferred  to  the  frigate  and  sent  down 
into  the  hold. 

In  the  afternoon  Will,  to  his  surprise,  received  word 
that  the  captain  wished  to  speak  to  him.  His  jacket  had 
been  cut  off  and  his  injured  arm  was  in  a  sling,  so  he  could 
only  throw  the  garment  over  his  shoulders  before  he  hur- 
ried aft.  When  he  reached  the  poop  he  found  that  the  crew 
were  mustered,  and  in  much  trepidation  as  to  his  appear- 
ance, and  with  a  great  feeling  of  wonder  as  to  why  he  had 
been  sent  for,  he  made  his  way  to  where  the  captain  was 
standing  surrounded  by  a  group  of  officers. 

"Men,"  the  captain  said  in  a  loud  clear  voice,  "I  am 
going  to  take  a  somewhat  unusual  step,  and  raise  one  of 


68  BY  CONDUCT  AND  COURAGE 

your  comrades  to  the  quarter-deck.  Still  more  unusual  is 
it  that  such  an  honour  should  fall  to  a  ship's  boy.  In  this 
case,  however,  I  am  sure  you  will  all  agree  with  me  that 
the  boy  in  question  has  distinguished  himself  not  only 
by  his  activity  and  keenness  aloft,  but  by  the  fact  that  he 
has,  under  great  difficulties,  educated  himself,  and  in  man- 
ner and  education  is  perfectly  fit  to  be  a  messmate  of  the 
midshipmen  of  this  vessel.  Moreover,  in  the  fight  yester- 
day he  saved  the  life  of  Lieutenant  Farrance  when  he  had 
fallen  and  was  attacked  by  two  of  the  Moors.  One  of  these 
the  lad  killed,  and  the  other  he  engaged.  This  gave  Lieu- 
tenant Farrance  time  to  recover  his  feet,  and  he  quickly 
disposed  of  the  second  Moor,  not,  however,  before  the  ras- 
cal had  inflicted  a  severe  wound  on  the  lad.  Mr.  William 
Gilmore,  I  have  real  pleasure  in  nominating  you  a  mid- 
shipman on  board  His  Majesty's  ship  Furious,  and  inviting 
you  to  join  us  on  the  quarter-deck." 

The  cheer  that  broke  from  the  men  showed  that  they 
heartily  approved  of  the  honour  that  had  fallen  upon  their 
young  comrade.  As  to  Will  himself,  he  was  so  surprised 
and  overcome  by  this  most  unexpected  distinction  that  he 
could  scarcely  speak.  The  captain  stepped  forward  and 
shook  him  by  the  hand,  an  example  followed  by  the  other 
officers  and  midshipmen. 

"You  had  better  retire,"  the  captain  said,  seeing  that 
the  lad  was  quite  unable  to  speak,  "and  when  you 
have  recovered  from  your  wound  the  ship's  tailor 
will  take  your  uniform  in  hand.  Lieutenant  Farrance 
has  kindly  expressed  his  intention  of  providing  you 
with  it." 

Will,  with  the  greatest  difficulty,  restrained  his  feelings 


PROMOTED  69 

till  he  reached  the  sick  berth,  and  then  he  threw  himself 
into  a  hammock  and  burst  into  tears.  Presently  Tom 
Stevens  came  in  to  see  him. 

"I  am  glad,  Will"  he  said,  "more  glad  than  I  can  possi- 
bly express.  It  is  splendid  to  think  that  you  are  really  an 
officer." 

"It  is  too  much  altogether,  Tom.  I  had  hoped  that 
some  day  I  might  come  to  be  a  mate,  or  even  a  captain  in 
a  merchant  ship,  but  to  think  that  in  less  than  two  months 
after  joining  I  could  be  on  the  quarter-deck  was  beyond 
my  wildest  dreams.  Well  I  hope  I  sha'n't  get  puffed  up, 
and  I  am  sure,  Tom,  that  I  shall  be  as  much  your  friend 
as  ever." 

"I  don't  doubt  that,  Will ;  you  would  not  be  yourself  if 
it  made  any  difference  in  you.  Dimchurch  asked  me  to  tell 
you  how  much  he  too  was  pleased,  but  that  he  was  not 
surprised  at  all,  for  he  felt  sure  that  in  less  than  a  year  you 
would  be  on  the  quarter-deck,  as  it  would  be  ridiculous 
that  anyone  who  could  take  an  observation  and  be  at  the 
same  time  one  of  the  smartest  hands  aloft  should  remain 
in  the  position  of  ship's  boy.  One  of  the  elder  sailors  said 
that  in  all  his  experience  he  had  never  known  but  three  or 
four  cases  of  men  being  promoted  from  the  deck  except 
when  old  warrant  officers  were  made  mates  and  appointed 
to  revenue  cutters." 

"Thank  Dimchurch  very  heartily  for  me,  Tom,  and  tell 
him  that  I  hope  we  shall  sail  many  years  together,  al- 
though it  may  be  in  different  parts  of  the  ship.  Now  I 
will  lie  quiet  for  a  time,  for  my  arm  is  throbbing  dread- 
fully. The  doctor  tells  me  that  although  the  wound  is 
severe  it  can  hardly  be  called  serious,  for  with  so  good  a 


70  BY  CONDUCT  AND  COURAGE 

constitution  as  I  have  it  will  heal  quickly,  and  in  a  month 
I  shall  be  able  to  use  it  as  well  as  before." 

The  agitation  and  excitement,  however,  acted  injuri- 
ously, and  the  next  day  Will  was  in  a  state  of  high  fever, 
which  did  not  abate  for  some  days,  and  left  him  extremely 
weak. 

"You  have  had  a  sharp  bout  of  it,  lad,"  the  doctor  said, 
"but  you  are  safe  now,  and  you  will  soon  pick  up  strength 
again.  It  has  had  one  good  effect ;  it  has  kept  you  from 
fidgeting  over  your  wound,  and  I  have  no  doubt  that,  now 
the  fever  has  left  you,  you  will  go  on  nicely." 

In  another  three  weeks  Will  was  able  to  leave  the  sick 
bay,  and  on  the  morning  he  was  discharged  from  the  sick 
list  he  found  by  his  hammock  two  suits  of  midshipman's 
uniform,  a  full  dress  and  a  working  suit,  together  with 
a  pile  of  shirts  and  underclothing  of  all  kinds,  and  two  or 
three  pairs  of  shoes.  His  other  clothes  had  been  taken 
away,  so  he  dressed  himself  in  the  working  suit,  and  with 
some  little  trepidation  made  his  way  to  his  new  quarters. 
The  midshipmen  were  just  sitting  down  to  breakfast,  and, 
rising,  they  all  shook  hands  with  him  and  congratulated 
him  heartily  both  on  his  promotion  and  his  recovery. 

"You  are  very  good  to  welcome  me  so  heartily,"  he 
said.  "I  know  that  neither  by  birth  nor  station  am  I  your 
equal." 

"You  are  quite  our  equal,  youngster,"  said  one  of  the 
midshipmen,  "whatever  you  may  be  by  birth.  Not  one  of 
us  could  have  worked  half  so  well  as  you  have  done;  the 
chaplain  tells  us  that  you  can  take  an  observation  as  well 
as  he  can.  I  can  assure  you  we  are  all  heartily  glad  to  have 
you  with  us.  Sit  down  and  make  yourself  at  home.  We 


PKOMOTED  71 

have  not  much  to  offer  you  besides  our  rations ;  for  we  have 
been  out  for  over  a  month,  and  our  soft  tack  and  all  other 
luxuries  were  finished  long  ago,  so  we  are  reduced  to  ham 
and  biscuit." 

"It  could  not  be  better,"  Will  said  with  a  smile,  "for 
I  have  got  such  an  appetite  that  I  could  eat  horse  with 
satisfaction.  I  feel  immensely  indebted  to  you,  Mr.  For- 
ster ;  for  if  you  had  not  brought  my  request  before  the  first 
lieutenant  I  should  not  have  been  able  to  make  such  prog- 
ress with  my  books  as  I  have  done." 

"The  chaplain  is  a  first-rate  fellow — but,  by  the  way,  we 
have  no  misters  here;  we  all  call  each  other  by  our  sur- 
name plain  and  simple.  Even  Peters,  who  has  welcomed 
you  in  our  name  and  who  is  a  full-fledged  master's  mate, 
does  not  claim  to  be  addressed  as  mister,  though  he  will 
probably  do  so  before  long,  for  the  wound  of  Lieutenant 
Ayling,  who,  it  is  settled,  will  be  invalided  when  we  get 
to  Malta,  will  give  him  his  step.  On  that  occasion  we  will 
solemnly  drink  his  health,  at  his  own  expense  of  course." 

"That  is  not  the  ordinary  way,"  the  mate  laughed.  "I 
know  that  you  fellows  will  be  game  to  shell  out  a  bottle 
apiece — I  don't  think  I  can  do  it — not  at  least  until  I  get 
three  months  of  my  new  rate  of  pay." 

So  they  laughed  and  chaffed,  and  Will  felt  grateful  to 
them,  for  he  saw  that  it  was  in  no  small  degree  due  to  the 
desire  to  set  him  at  his  ease. 

"You  will  be  in  the  starboard  watch,  Gilmore,"  the  mate 
said  when  the  meal  was  finished.  "That  was  the  one  Ayl- 
ing had.  The  third  lieutenant,  Bowden,  who  is  now  in 
charge,  isn't  half  a  bad  fellow.  Of  course  he  is  a  little 
cocky — third  lieutenants  on  their  first  commission  gener- 


72  BY  CONDUCT  AND  COURAGE 

ally  are, — but  he  is  kind-hearted  and  likes  to  make  him- 
self popular,  and  he  will  wink  one  eye  when  you  take  a  nap 
under  a  gun,  which  is  no  mean  virtue.  The  boatswain,  who 
is  in  the  same  watch,  is  a  much  more  formidable  person, 
and  busies  himself  quite  unnecessarily.  One  cannot,  how- 
ever, have  everything,  and  on  the  whole  you  will  get  on  very 
comfortably.  I  am  in  the  other  watch,  Eodwell  and  Forster 
are  with  you.  They  are  well-meaning  lads ;  I  don't  know 
that  I  can  say  anything  more  for  them,  but  you  will  find 
out  their  faults  soon  enough  yourself." 

Will  then  went  up  on  deck  with  the  others.  It  seemed 
strange  to  him  to  enter  upon  what  he  had  hitherto  regarded 
as  a  sort  of  sacred  ground,  and  he  stood  shyly  aside  while 
the  others  fell  into  their  duties  of  looking  after  the  men 
and  seeing  that  the  work  was  being  done.  Presently  the 
first  lieutenant  came  on  deck.  Will  went  up  to  him  and 
touched  his  hat. 

"I  cannot  tell  you,  sir,"  he  said,  "how  indebted  I  feel 
to  you  for  your  kindness  in  speaking  for  me  to  the  captain, 
and  especially  in  providing  me  with  an  outfit.  I  can  assure 
you,  sir,  that  as  long  as  I  live  I  shall  remember  your  kind- 
ness." 

"My  lad,  these  things  weigh  but  little  against  the  saving 
of  my  life,  and  I  can  assure  you  that  it  was  a  great  satis- 
faction to  me  to  be  able  to  make  this  slight  return.  I  shall 
watch  your  career  with  the  greatest  interest,  for  I  am  con- 
vinced that  it  will  be  a  brilliant  one." 

Owing  to  the  fact  that  two  officers  had  gone  away  in  their 
first  prize,  and  that  three  had  been  killed  or  disabled  in  the 
late  fight,  there  was  a  shortage  of  officers  on  the  Furious. 
Three  had  left  in  the  Moorish  prizes,  and  when,  a  week 


PROMOTED  73 

later,  another  Moorish  vessel  was  captured  without  much 
fighting,  the  captain  had  no  officers  to  spare  above  the  rank 
of  midshipmen. 

"Mr.  Forster,"  he  said,  "I  have  selected  you  to  go  in  the 
prize.  You  can  take  one  of  the  juniors  with  y.ou ;  I  can- 
not spare  either  of  the  seniors.  Who  would  you  like  to 
take?" 

"I  would  rather  have  Gilmore,  sir.  I  feel  that  I  can  trust 
him  thoroughly." 

"I  think  you  have  made  a  good  choice.  I  cannot  spare 
you  more  than  thirty  men.  You  will  go  straight  to  Malta, 
hand  over  your  prize  to  the  agent  there,  and  either  wait 
till  we  return,  or  come  back  again  if  there  should  be  any 
means  of  doing  so." 

Will  was  delighted  when  he  heard  that  he  was  to  go  with 
Forster.  "Will  you  pick  the  crew  ?"  he  asked  his  friend. 

"No,  but  I  could  arrange  without  difficulty  for  anyone 
you  specially  wished." 

"I  should  like  very  much  to  have  my  friend  Tom  Stevens 
and  the  sailor  named  Dimchurch ;  they  are  both  good  hands 
in  their  way,  and  were  very  friendly  with  me  before  I  got 
promoted." 

"All  right !  there  will  be  no  difficulty  about  that ;  we 
shall  want  a  boy  to  act  as  our  servant,  and  one  able  seaman 
is  as  good  as  another.  I  have  noticed  Dimchurch ;  he  is  a 
fine  active  hand,  and  I  will  appoint  him  boatswain." 

Great  was  the  pride  of  Will  as  the  prize  crew  rowed  from 
the  Furious  to  the  Moorish  galley  of  which  he  was  to  be 
second  in  command,  but  he  could  not  help  bursting  out 
laughing  as  he  went  down  with  Forster  into  the  cabin. 

"What  are  you  laughing  at  ?"  Forster  asked. 


74  BY  CONDUCT  AND  COURAGE 

"I  was  having  a  bit  of  a  laugh  at  the  thought  of  the 
change  that  has  come  over  my  position.  Not  that  I  am 
conceited  about  it,  but  it  all  seems  so  strange  that  I  should 
be  here  and  second  in  command." 

"No  doubt  it  does,"  laughed  Forster,  "but  you  will  soon 
get  accustomed  to  it.  It  is  almost  as  strange  for  me,  for 
it  is  the  first  time  that  I  have  been  in  command.  I  have 
brought  a  chart  on  board  with  me.  Our  course  is  north- 
north-east,  and  the  distance  is  between  two  and  three  hun- 
dred miles.  In  any  decent  part  of  the  world  we  should 
do  it  in  a  couple  of  days,  but  with  these  baffling  winds  we 
may  take  a  week  or  more.  Well,  I  don't  much  care  how 
long  we  are ;  it  will  be  a  luxury  to  be  one's  own  master  for 
a  bit," 

The  first  step  was  to  divide  the  crew  into  two  watches. 

"I  am  entitled  not  to  keep  a  watch,"  Forster  said,  "but 
I  shall  certainly  waive  the  privilege.  We  will  take  a 
watch  each." 

Tom  Stevens  was  appointed  cabin  servant,  and  one  of  the 
men  was  made  cook;  nine  of  the  others  were  told  off  to 
each  watch. 

"I  wish  she  hadn't  all  those  prisoners  on  board,"  For- 
ster said.  "They  will  be  a  constant  source  of  anxiety. 
There  are  over  fifty  of  them,  and  as  hang-dog  scoundrels 
as  one  would  wish  to  see.  We  shall  have  to  keep  a  sharp 
look-out  on  them,  to  make  sure  that  they  don't  get  a  ghost 
of  a  chance  of  coming  up  on  deck,  for  if  they  did  they 
would  not  think  twice  about  cutting  our  throats." 

"I  don't  see  how  they  could  possibly  get  out,"  Will  said. 

"No;  it  generally  does  look  like  that,  but  they  manage 
it  sometimes  for  all  that.  These  fellows  know  that  when 


PKOMOTED  75 

they  get  to  Malta  they  will  be  set  to  work  in  the  yards, 
and  if  there  was  an  opportunity,  however  small,  for  them 
to  break  out,  you  may  be  sure  that  they  would  take  it. 
These  Moorish  pirates  are  about  as  ruffianly  scoundrels  as 
are  to  be  found,  and  if  they  don't  put  their  prisoners  to 
death  they  only  spare  them  for  what  they  will  fetch  as 
slaves." 

After  three  days'  sailing  they  had  made  but  little  way, 
for  it  was  only  in  the  morning  and  the  evening  that  there 
was  any  breeze.  Will  had  just  turned  in  for  the  middle 
watch,  and  had  scarcely  dropped  to  sleep,  when  he  was 
suddenly  awakened  by  a  loud  noise.  He  sprang  out  of  bed, 
seized  his  dirk  and  a  brace  of  pistols  which  were  part  of 
the  equipment  given  him  by  the  first  lieutenant.  As  he 
ran  up  the  companion  he  heard  a  coil  of  rope  thrown 
against  the  door,  so  he  leapt  down  again  and  ran  with  all 
speed  to  the  men's  quarters.  They,  too,  were  all  on  their 
feet,  but  the  hatch  had  been  battened  down  above  them. 

"This  is  a  bad  job,  sir,"  Dimchurch  said.  "How  they 
have  got  out  I  have  no  idea.  I  looked  at  the  fastenings 
of  the  two  hatches  when  I  came  down  twenty  minutes 
ago,  and  they  looked  to  me  all  right.  I  am  afraid  they 
will  cut  all  our  comrades'  throats." 

"I  fear  so,  Dimchurch.  What  do  you  think  we  had 
better  do  ?" 

"I  don't  know,  sir ;  it  will  require  a  good  deal  of  think- 
ing out.  I  don't  suppose  they  will  meddle  with  us  at  pres- 
ent, but  of  course  they  will  sooner  or  later." 

"Well,  Dimchurch,  as  a  first  step  we  will  bring  all  the 
mess  tables  and  other  portable  things  forward  here,  and 
make  a  barricade  with  them.  We  will  also  obtain  two  or 


76  BY  CONDUCT  AND  COUKAGE 

three  barrels  of  water  and  a  stock  of  food,  so  that  when 
the  time  conies  we  may  at  any  rate  be  able  to  make  a  stout 
resistance." 

"That  is  a  good  idea,,  sir.    We  will  set  to  work  at  once." 

In  a  short  time,  with  the  aid  of  tubs  of  provisions,  bar- 
rels of  water,  and  bales  of  goods,  a  barricade  was  built  across 
the  bow  of  the  vessel,  forming  a  triangular  enclosure  of 
about  fourteen  feet  on  each  side.  The  arms  were  then 
collected  and  placed  inside,  and  when  this  was  done  there 
was  a  general  feeling  of  satisfaction  that  they  could  at 
least  sell  their  lives  dearly. 

"Now,  sir,  what  is  the  next  step?"  Dimchurch  asked. 
"You  have  only  to  give  your  orders  and  we  are  ready  to 
carry  them  out." 

"I  have  thought  of  nothing  at  present,"  Will  said.  "I 
fancy  it  will  be  better  to  allow  them  to  make  the  first  move, 
for  even  with  the  advantage  of  attacking  them  in  the  dark 
we  could  hardly  hope  to  overcome  four  times  our  num- 
ber." 

"It  would  be  a  tough  job  certainly,  sir;  but  if  the  worst 
comes  to  the  worst,  we  might  try  it." 

"It  must  come  to  quite  the  worst,  Dimchurch,  before  we 
take  such  a  step  as  that." 

As  evening  approached,  the  Moors  were  heard  descending 
the  companion.  There  was  a  buzz  of  talk,  and  then  they 
came  rushing  forward.  When  they  reached  the  door  be- 
tween the  fore  and  aft  portions  of  the  ship  Will  and  his 
men  opened  fire  upon  them,  and  as  they  poured  out  they 
were  shot  down.  Seven  or  eight  fell,  and  then  the  others 
dashed  forward.  The  seamen  lined  the  barricade  and  made 
a  strenuous  resistance.  Cutlass  clashed  against  Moorish 


PKOMOTED  77 

yatagan ;  the  Moors  were  too  crowded  together  to  use  their 
guns,  and  as  they  could  gather  no  more  closely  in  front 
than  the  sailors  stood,  they  were  unable  to  break  through 
the  barricade.  At  last,  after  many  had  fallen,  the  rest 
retired.  Three  or  four  of  the  sailors  had  received  more  or 
less  severe  wounds,  but  none  were  absolutely  disabled.  Tom 
Stevens  had  fought  pluckily  among  the  rest,  and  Will  was 
ready  with  his  shouts  of  encouragement,  and  a  cutlass  he 
had  taken  for  use  instead  of  his  dirk,  wherever  the  pressure 
was  most  severe. 

When  the  Moors  had  retired,  Dimchurch  and  two 
others  went  outside  the  barricade  and  piled  some  heavy 
bales  against  the  door,  after  first  carrying  out  the  dead 
Moors. 

"They  will  hardly  attack  us  that  way  again,  sir,"  he  said 
to  Will ;  "it  will  be  our  turn  next  time." 

"Yes,  six  of  their  number  are  killed,  and  probably  several 
badly  wounded,  so  we  ought  to  have  a  good  chance  of  suc- 
cess if  we  make  a  dash  at  them  in  the  dark." 

They  waited  until  night  had  fallen.    Then  Will  said : 

"Do  you  think  you  can  lift  that  hatchway,  Dimchurch  ?" 

"I  will  have  a  pretty  hard  try  anyhow,"  the  man  said. 
"I  will  roll  this  tub  under  it;  that  will  give  me  a  chance 
of  using  my  strength." 

Although  he  was  able  to  move  it  slightly,  his  utmost 
efforts  failed  to  lift  it  more  than  an  inch  or  two. 

"They  have  piled  too  many  ropes  on  it  for  me,  sir ;  but 
I  think  that  if  some  others  will  get  on  tubs  and  join  me 
we  shall  be  able  to  move  the  thing." 

"Wait  a  minute,  Dimchurch.  Let  each  man  make  sure 
that  his  musket  is  loaded." 


78  BY    CONDUCT    AND   COURAGE 

There  was  a  short  pause,  during  which  all  firelocks  were 
carefully  examined.  When  he  saw  that  all  were  in  good 
order,  Will  said : 

"Now,  lads,  heave  away/' 

Slowly  the  hatchway  yielded,  and  with  a  great  effort 
it  was  pushed  up  far  enough  for  a  man  to  crawl  out. 
Pieces  of  wood  were  shoved  in  at  each  corner  so  as  to 
hold  the  hatch  open,  and  the  men  who  had  lifted  it  stood 
clear. 

"Clamber  out,  Dimchurch,  and  have  a  look  round.  Are 
there  many  of  them  on  deck  ?" 

"Only  about  a  dozen,  as  far  as  I  can  make  out,  sir.  They 
are  jabbering  away  among  themselves — disputing,  I  should 
say,  as  to  the  best  way  to  get  at  us." 

"I  expect  they  intend  to  leave  us  alone  and  take  us  into 
Algiers.  However,  that  does  not  matter.  You  two  crawl 
out  and  lie  down,  then  give  me  a  hand  and  hoist  me  out. 
I  think  the  others  can  all  reach,  except  Tom;  you  had 
better  hoist  him  up  after  me." 

Each  man,  as  he  clambered  out,  lay  down  on  the  deck. 
When  all  were  up,  they  crawled  along  aft  to  within  a  few 
yards  of  the  Moors,  then  leapt  to  their  feet  and  fired  a 
volley.  Five  of  the  Moors  fell,  while  the  others,  panic- 
stricken,  ran  below. 

"Now,  pile  cables  over  the  hatchway,"  Will  shouted. 

The  sailors  rushed  to  carry  out  the  order.  They  were 
startled  as  they  did  so  by  a  shout  from  above. 

"Hillo,  below  there !  Have  you  got  possession  of  the 
ship?" 

"Yes.    Is  that  you,  Forster  ?" 

"Yes." 


PKOMOTED  79 

"Thank  God  for  that !"  Will  shouted  back,  while  the  men 
gave  a  cheer.  "Why  don't  you  come  down?" 

"I  am  going  to  slide  down  the  mast/7 

"What  for?  Why  don't  you  come  down  by  the  rat- 
tlings?" 

"I  have  cut  the  shrouds.  When  our  last  man  fell  I  made 
a  dash  for  them,  and  directly  I  got  to  the  top  I  cut  them, 
and  half  a  dozen  men  who  were  climbing  after  me  fell 
sprawling  to  the  deck.  Then  I  cut  them  on  the  other  side. 
I  thought  then  that  they  would  at  once  shoot  me,  but  there 
was  a  lively  argument  among  them  and  shouts  of  laughter, 
and  they  evidently  thought  that  it  would  be  a  great  joke  to 
leave  me  up  here  until  I  chose  to  slide  down  and  be  killed. 
Of  course  I  heard  their  attack  on  you,  and  trembled  for 
the  result;  but  when  the  noise  suddenly  ceased  I  guessed 
that  you  had  repulsed  them.  Well,  here  goes !"  and  half  a 
minute  later  he  slid  down  to  the  deck.  "How  do  matters 
stand  ?"  he  asked,  when  he  stood  among  them. 

"We  killed  six  and  wounded  eight  or  ten  in  the  first 
attack  upon  us,  and  we  have  shot  five  more  now.  All  the 
rest  are  battened  down  below." 

"There  they  had  better  remain  for  the  present.  Well, 
Gilmore,  I  congratulate  you  on  having  recaptured  the 
ship.  It  has  been  a  bad  affair,  for  we  have  lost  nine  men 
killed ;  but  as  far  as  you  are  concerned  you  have  done  splen- 
didly. I  am  afraid  I  shall  get  a  pretty  bad  wigging  for  al- 
lowing them  to  get  out,  though  certainly  the  bolts  of  the 
hatchways  were  all  right  when  we  changed  the  watch.  Of 
course  I  see  now  that  I  ought  to  have  placed  a  man  there  as 
sentry.  It  is  always  so  mighty  easy  to  be  wise  after  the 
event.  I  expect  the  rascals  pretty  nearly  cut  the  wood  away 


80  BY    CONDUCT   AND   COTJKAGE 

round  the  bolts,  and  after  the  watch  was  changed  set  to 
work  and  completed  the  job.  We  shall  not,  however,,  be 
able  to  investigate  that  until  we  get  to  Malta/' 

"We  have  blocked  up  the  door  between  the  fore  and  the 
after  parts  of  the  ship/'  said  Will;  "but  I  think  it  would 
be  as  well  to  place  a  sentry  at  each  hatch  now,  as  they  might 
turn  the  tables  upon  us  again." 

"Certainly.    Are  you  badly  wounded,  Dimchurch?" 

"I  have  got  a  slash  across  the  cheek,  sir,  but  nothing  to 
speak  of." 

"Well,  will  you  take  post  at  the  after-hatch  for  the  pres- 
ent. Stevens,  you  may  as  well  go  down  and  guard  the  door. 
You  will  be  able  to  tell  us,  at  least,  if  they  are  up  to  any 
mischief.  I  should  think,  however,  the  fight  is  pretty  well 
taken  out  of  them,  and  that  they  will  resign  themselves  to 
their  fate  now." 

"This  is  a  bad  job  for  me,"  Forster  said,  as  he  and  Will 
sat  down  together  on  a  gun. 

"I  am  awfully  sorry,  Forster,  but  I  am  afraid  there  is 
no  getting  out  of  it." 

"No,  that  is  out  of  the  question." 

"There  is  one  thing,  Forster.  If  you  did  not  put  a  sen- 
try over  the  hatchway,  neither  did  I,  so  I  am  just  as  much 
to  blame  for  the  disaster  as  you  are.  If  I  had  had  a  man 
there  they  could  hardly  have  cut  away  the  woodwork  with- 
out his  hearing.  I  certainly  wish  you  to  state  in  your  report 
that  you  took  the  watch  over  from  me  just  as  I  left  it,  and 
that  no  sentry  had  been  placed  there,  as  ought  certainly  to 
have  been  done  when  I  came  on  watch  at  eight  o'clock." 

"It  is  very  kind  of  you,  Gilmore,  to  wish  to  take  the 
blame  upon  your  own  shoulders,  but  the  responsibility  is 


PKOMOTED  81 

wholly  mine.  I  ought  to  have  reminded  you  to  put  a  man 
there,  there  can  be  no  question  at  all  about  that,  but  I 
never  gave  the  matter  a  thought,  and  the  blunder  has  cost 
us  nine  good  seamen.  I  shall  be  lucky  if  I  only  escape  with 
a  tremendous  wigging.  I  must  bear  it  as  well  as  I  can." 

While  they  were  talking  the  sailors  were  busy  splicing 
the  shrouds.  When  this  was  done  two  of  the  men  swarmed 
up  the  mast  by  means  of  the  halliards.  Then  they  hoisted 
up  the  shrouds,  and  fastened  them  round  the  mast,  making 
all  taut  by  means  of  the  lanyards.  The  sails  were  still 
standing,  flapping  loosely  in  the  light  breeze,  so  the  sheets 
were  hauled  in  and  the  vessel  again  began  to  move  through 
the  water.  Two  days  later  they  anchored  in  Yaletta  nar- 
bour. 

"Here  goes,"  Forster  said,  as  he  stepped  into  the  boat 
with  his  report.  "It  all  depends  now  on  what  sort  of  a  man 
the  admiral  is,  but  I  should  not  be  surprised  if  he  ordered 
me  to  take  court-martial." 

"Oh,  I  hope  not !"  Will  exclaimed.  "I  do  wish  you  would 
let  me  go  with  you  to  share  the  blame." 

"It  cannot  be  thought  of,"  Forster  said ;  "the  command- 
ing officer  must  make  the  report." 

Two  hours  later  Forster  returned. 

"It  is  all  right,  Gilmore,"  he  said  as  the  boat  came  along- 
side. "Of  course  I  got  a  wigging.  The  admiral  read  the 
report  and  then  looked  at  me  as  fierce  as  a  tiger. 

"'How  was  it  that  no  sentry  was  placed  over  the 
prisoners  ?' 

"'I  have  to  admit,  sir/  I  said,  'that  I  entirely  over- 
looked that.  I  am  quite  conscious  that  my  conduct  was 
indefensible,  but  I  have  certainly  paid  very  heavily  for  it.' 


82  BY    CONDUCT   AND   COUBAGE 

"  'It  was  a  smart  trick  taking  to  the  shrouds/  the  ad- 
miral said,  'though  one  would  have  thought  they  would 
have  shot  you  at  once  after  you  had  cut  them/ 

"  'That  is  what  I  expected,  sir/  said  I,  'but  they  seemed 
to  think  it  was  a  very  good  joke,  my  being  a  prisoner  up 
there,  and  preferred  to  wait  till  I  was  driven  down  by 
thirst/ 

"  'I  suppose  your  men  sold  their  lives  dearly  ?'  he  asked. 

"  'Yes,  sir/  I  replied.  'Taken  by  surprise  as  they  were 
they  certainly  accounted  for  more  than  one  man  each/ 

"  'And  doubtless  you  did  the  same,  Mr.  Forster?' 

"  'Yes,  sir,  I  cut  down  two  of  them,  and  I  did  not  cease 
fighting  until  I  saw  that  all  was  lost/ 

"  'Then  I  suppose  you  thought  that  your  duty  to  His 
Majesty  was  to  take  care  of  yourself/  he  said  slyly. 

"  'I  am  afraid,  sir/  I  said,  'at  that  moment  I  thought 
more  of  my  duty  towards  myself  than  of  my  duty  to  him/ 

"He  smiled  grimly. 

"  'I  have  no  doubt  that  was  so,  Mr.  Forster.  Well,  you 
committed  a  blunder,  and  I  hope  it  will  be  a  lesson  to  you 
in  future/ 

"  'It  will  indeed,  sir/  I  said. 

"Then  he  started  to  question  me  about  you. 

"  'Your  junior  officer  seems  to  have  behaved  very  well/ 
he  said. 

"  'Extremely  well,  sir/  I  said.  'I  only  wish  I  had  done 
as  well/ 

"  'His  plan  of  forming  a  barricade  across  the  bow  so 
that  his  little  force  were  ample  to  defend  it  was  excellent/ 
he  said.  'Also  the  blocking  up  of  the  door  of  communica- 
tion through  the  bulkhead  was  well  thought  of,  and  his 


PROMOTED  83 

final  escape  through  the  hatchway  and  sudden  attack  upon 
the  enemy  was  well  carried  out.  I  will  make  a  note  of 
his  name.  I  suppose  he  is  not  as  old  as  yourself,  as  he  is 
your  junior?' 

"  'No,  sir,  he  is  not  yet  sixteen,  and  he  was  only  pro- 
moted from  being  a  ship's  boy  to  the  quarter-deck  three 
weeks  ago/ 

"  'Promoted  from  being  a  ship's  boy  ?'  the  admiral  said 
in  surprise. 

"Then  I  had  to  give  a  detailed  account,  not  only  of  the 
fight  that  led  to  your  promotion,  but  also  of  your  life  so 
far  as  I  knew  it. 

"When  I  had  finished,  the  admiral  said : 

"  'He  must  be  a  singular  lad,  this  Gilmore,  and  is  likely 
to  prove  an  honour  to  the  navy.  Bring  him  up  here  at 
this  hour  to-morrow;  I  shall  be  glad  to  see  him.  There, 
now,  you  may  go,  and  don't  forget  in  future  that  when 
you  are  in  charge  of  prisoners  you  must  always  place  a 
guard  over  them/ 

"So  unknowingly  you  have  done  me  a  good  turn,  Gil- 
more,  for  I  expect  that  if  the  admiral  had  not  been  so  in- 
terested in  you  he  would  not  have  let  me  off  so  easily.  You 
must  put  on  your  best  uniform  for  the  first  time  and  go 
up  to-morrow." 

"Well,  I  am  afraid  I  should  have  felt  very  shaky  if  I  had 
not  heard  your  account  of  the  admiral.  From  what  you 
say  it  is  evident  he  is  a  kindly  man,  and  after  all  you  have 
told  him  about  me  he  can't  have  many  questions  to  ask." 

"Well,  I  feel  a  good  deal  easier  in  my  mind,  as  you  may 
guess,"  Forster  said.  "When  I  went  ashore  I  felt  like  a 
bad  boy  who  is  in  for  a  flogging.  I  dare  say  I  shall  get  it 


84  UY   CONDUCT   AND  COURAGE 

a  little  hotter  from  the  captain,  but  it  will  be  just  a  wig- 
ging, and  there  will  be  no  talk  of  courts-martial.  By  what 
we  saw  of  the  goods  on  board  this  craft  before  this  rumpus 
took  place  I  fancy  the  Moor  had  captured  and  plundered 
a  well-laden  merchantman.  In  that  case  the  prize-money 
will  be  worth  a  good  round  sum,  and  as  the  admiral  gets 
a  picking  out  of  it  he  will  be  still  more  inclined  to  look 
favourably  on  the  matter.  Here  comes  the  boat  to  take 
off  the  prisoners.  I  have  no  doubt  some  of  them  will  be 
hanged,  especially  as  they  will  not  be  able  to  give  any  sat- 
isfactory explanation  as  to  the  fate  of  the  merchantman. 
As  soon  as  we  have  got  rid  of  them  we  will  overhaul  a 
few  of  the  bales  and  see  what  are  their  contents." 

When  the  last  of  the  prisoners  were  taken  ashore  Forster 
and  Gilmore  went  below  and  examined  the  cargo.  This 
proved  to  consist  of  valuable  Eastern  stuffs,  broad-cloths, 
silks,  and  Turkish  carpets. 

"It  could  not  be  better,"  Forster  said;  "she  must  be 
worth  a  lot  of  money,  and  it  will  add  to  the  nice  little 
handful  of  prize-money  we  shall  get  when  we  return  home. 
They  ought  to  give  us  a  good  round  sum  for  the  Proser- 
pine; then  there  were  the  three  Moorish  vessels,  though  I 
don't  think  they  were  worth  much,  for  their  holds  were 
nearly  empty  and  I  fancy  they  had  only  been  cruising  a 
short  time.  This  fellow,  however,  is  a  rich  prize;  he  cer- 
tainly had  very  hard  luck,  falling  in  with  us  as  he  did. 
I  fancy  the  ship  they  pillaged  was  a  Frenchman  or  Italian, 
more  likely  the  latter.  I  don't  think  there  are  many 
French  merchantmen  about,  and  it  is  most  likely  that  the 
cargo  was  intended  for  Genoa,  whence  a  good  part  of  it 
might  be  sent  to  Paris.  Well,  it  makes  little  difference 


PKOMOTED  85 

to  us  what  its  destination  was,  its  proceeds  are  certainly 
destined  to  enrich  us  instead  of  its  original  consignees." 

The  next  morning  Will  put  on  his  best  uniform  for  the 
first  time,  and,  landing  with  Forster,  ascended  the  Nix 
Mangare  stairs  and  called  on  the  admiral. 

"Well,  Mr.  Gilmore,"  the  admiral  said  as  he  was  shown 
in,  "it  gives  me  great  pleasure  to  meet  so  promising  a 
young  officer.  Will  you  kindly  tell  me  such  details  of 
your  early  history  as  may  seem  fitting  to  you." 

Will  gave  him  a  fairly  detailed  account  of  his  history  up 
to  the  time  he  joined  the  navy. 

"Well,  sir,  you  cannot  be  too  grateful  to  that  young 
lady,  but  at  the  same  time  there  are  few  who  would  have 
availed  themselves  so  well  of  her  assistance.  It  is  noth- 
ing short  of  astonishing  that  you  should  have  progressed 
so  far  under  her  care  that  you  were  able,  after  a  few  les- 
sons from  the  chaplain  of  your  ship,  to  use  a  quadrant. 
As  a  mark  of  my  approbation  I  will  present  you  with 
one.  I  will  send  it  off  to  your  ship  to-morrow  morn- 
ing." 

With  many  thanks  Will  took  his  leave,  and  returned  with 
Forster  to  the  prize. 

On  the  following  morning  the  quadrant  arrived.  That 
afternoon  the  prize  was  handed  over  to  the  prize-agents, 
and  the  crew  transferred  to  the  naval  barracks,  Forster 
and  Gilmore  receiving  lodging  money  to  live  on  shore. 
Hitherto,  the  only  fortifications  Will  had  seen  were  those 
of  Portsmouth,  so  he  was  greatly  interested  in  the  castle 
with  its  heavy  frowning  stone  batteries,  the  deep  cut  sepa- 
rating it  from  the  rest  of  the  island,  and  its  towering 
rock.  Then  there  was  the  church  of  St.  John,  paved  with 


86  BY    CONDUCT    AND   COURAGE 

tombstones  of  the  knights,  and  other  places  of  interest. 
The  costume  and  appearance  of  the  inhabitants  amused 
and  pleased  him,  as  did  the  shops  with  their  laces,  cameos, 
and  lovely  coral  ornaments.  Beyond  the  walls  there  were 
the  gardens  full  of  orange-trees,  bright  with  their  fruit, 
and  the  burying-place  of  the  old  monks,  each  body  stand- 
ing in  a  niche,  dressed  in  his  gown  and  cowl  as  in  life. 

Will  wished  that  he  could  get  his  share  of  prize-money 
at  once,  and  promised  himself  that  his  very  first  expendi- 
ture would  be  a  suite  of  coral  for  the  lady  who  had  done 
so  much  for  him.  In  no  way,  he  thought,  could  he  lay 
out  money  with  such  gratification  to  himself. 

A  fortnight  later  the  Furious  came  into  harbour  bring- 
ing another  prize  with  her.  This  had  been  taken  without 
any  trouble.  One  morning,  when  day  broke,  she  was  seen 
only  a  quarter  of  a  mile  from  the  frigate.  A  gun  was  at 
once  fired  across  her  bows,  and,  seeing  that  escape  was 
impossible,  she  hauled  down  her  colours  without  resist- 
ance. 

Forster  and  Gilmore,  with  the  officers  who  had  brought 
in  the  other  prizes,  all  went  on  board  at  once  and  made 
their  reports.  As  Forster  had  predicted,  he  was  severely 
reprimanded  for  not  having  placed  a  sentry  over  the  pris- 
oners, but  in  consideration  of  the  fact  that  he  had  already 
been  spoken  to  by  the  admiral  himself  the  captain  was  less 
severe  on  him  than  he  would  otherwise  have  been.  Gil- 
more,  on  the  other  hand,  was  warmly  commended. 

"You  managed  extremely  well,"  the  captain  said,  "and 
showed  that  you  fully  deserved  your  promotion." 


A   PIRATE   HOLD  87 

CHAPTER  V 

A   PIRATE   HOLD 

THE  Furious  was  at  once  placed  in  the  hands  of  the 
dock-yard  people,  who  set  to  work  immediately  to 
repair  damages,  while  large  quantities  of  provisions  were 
brought  off  from  the  stores  on  shore. 

"They  are  not  generally  as  sharp  as  this,"  Forster  said ; 
"I  should  say  there  must  be  something  in  the  wind." 

Such  was  the  general  opinion  on  board  the  ship,  for 
double  gangs  of  workers  were  put  on,  and  in  three  days  she 
was  reported  to  be  again  ready  for  sea.  The  captain  came 
on  board  half  an  hour  later  and  spoke  to  the  first  lieuten- 
ant, and  orders  were  at  once  issued  to  get  up  the  anchors 
and  set  sail.  Her  head  was  pointed  west  as  she  left  the  har- 
bour, and  the  general  opinion  was  that  she  was  bound  for 
Gibraltar.  It  leaked  out,  however,  in  the  afternoon  that 
she  was  sailing  under  sealed  orders,  and  as  that  would 
hardly  be  the  case  if  she  were  bound  for  Gibraltar,  there 
were  innumerable  discussions  among  the  sailors  as  to  her 
destination.  Could  she  be  meant  to  cruise  along  the  west 
coast  of  France,  or  to  return  to  England  and  join  a  fleet 
being  got  ready  there  for  some  important  operation. 

"What  do  you  say,  Bill?'3  one  of  the  men  asked  an  old 
sailor,  who  had  sat  quietly,  taking  no  part  in  the  discus- 
sion. 

"Well,  if  you  asks  me,"  he  said,  "I  should  say  we  are 
bound  for  the  West  Indies." 


88  BY  CONDUCT  AND  COURAGE 

"The  West  Indies,  Bill !    What  makes  you  think  that?" 

"Well,  I  thinks  that,  because  it  seems  to  me  as  that  is 
where  we  are  most  wanted.  The  French  have  got  a 
stronger  fleet  than  we  have  out  there." 

"Well,  they  have  got  as  strong  a  fleet  at  Toulon,  and 
quite  as  strong  a  one  at  Brest." 

"Yes,  that  may  be  so,  but  I  think  we  are  pretty  safe 
to  lick  them  at  either  of  these  places  if  they  will  come  out 
and  fight  us  fair,  whereas  in  the  West  Indies  they  are 
a  good  bit  stronger.  There  are  so  many  ports  and  islands 
that,  as  we  are,  so  to  speak,  a  good  deal  scattered,  they 
might  at  any  moment  come  upon  us  in  double  our 
strength." 

"Have  you  ever  been  there  before,  Bill?" 

"Ay,  two  or  three  times.  In  some  respects  it  could  not 
be  better ;  you  can  buy  fruit,  and  'bacca,  and  rum  for  next 
to  nothing,  when  your  officers  give  you  a  chance.  Lor', 
the  games  them  niggers  are  up  to  to  circumvent  them 
would  make  you  laugh!  When  you  land,  an  old  black 
woman  will  come  up  with  a  basket  full  of  cocoa-nuts. 
Your  officer  steps  up  to  her  and  examines  them,  and  they 
look  as  right  as  can  be.  Perhaps  he  breaks  one  and  it  is 
full  of  milk;  very  good.  So  you  go  up  to  buy,  and  the 
officer  looks  on.  The  woman  hands  you  two  or  three,  and 
when  she  gives  you  the  last  one  she  winks  her  eye.  She 
don't  say  anything,  but  you  drop  a  sixpence  into  her  hand 
among  the  coppers  you  have  to  pay  for  the  others,  and 
when  she  has  quite  sold  out  the  officer  orders  you  into 
the  boat  to  lie  off  till  he  comes  back.  And  when  he  returns 
he  is  quite  astonished  to  find  that  most  of  the  crew  are 
three  sheets  in  the  wind. 


A   PIRATE   HOLD  89 

"Then  they  will  bring  you  sugar-canes  half  as  thick  as 
your  wrist,  looking  as  innocent  as  may  be;  both  ends  are 
sealed  up  with  bits  of  the  pith,  and  when  you  open  one 
end  you  find  that  all  the  joints  have  been  bored  through, 
and  the  cane  is  full  of  rum.  But  mind,  lads,  you  are  fools 
if  you  touch  it ;  it  is  new  and  strong  and  rank,  and  a  bottle 
of  it  would  knock  you  silly.  And  that  is  not  the  worst  of 
it,  for  fever  catches  hold  of  you,  and  fever  out  there  ain't 
no  joke.  You  eats  a  good  dinner  at  twelve  o'clock,  and 
you  are  buried  in  the  palisades  at  six ;  that's  called  yellow 
jack.  It  is  a  country  where  you  can  enjoy  yourselves 
reasonable  with  fruit,  and  perhaps  a  small  sup  of  rum, 
but  where  you  must  beware  of  drinking;  if  you  do  that 
you  are  all  right.  The  islands  are  beautiful,  downright 
beautiful;  there  ain't  many  places  which  I  troubles  my- 
self to  look^at,  but  the  West  Indies  are  like  gardens  with 
feathery  sorts  of  trees,  and  mountains,  and  everything 
that  you  can  want  in  nature." 

"It  is  very  hot,  isn't  it,  Bill  ?" 

"It  ain't,  so  to  speak,  cool  in  summer-time.  In  winter 
it  is  just  right,  but  in  summer  you  would  like  to  lie  naked 
all  day  and  have  cold  water  poured  over  you.  Still,  one 
gets  accustomed  to  it  in  time.  Then,  you  see,  there  is 
always  excitement  of  some  kind.  There  are  pirates  and 
Frenchmen,  and  there  are  Spaniards,  whom  I  regard  as 
a  cross  between  the  other  two.  They  hide  about  among  the 
islands  and  pop  out  when  you  least  expect  them.  You 
always  have  to  keep  your  eyes  in  your  head  and  your  cut- 
lass handy  when  you  go  ashore.  The  worst  of  them  are 
what  they  call  mulattoes;  they  are  a  whity-brown  sort  of 
chaps,  neither  one  thing  nor  the  other,  and  a  nice  cut- 


90  BY  CONDUCT  AND  COURAGE 

throat  lot  they  are.  A  sailor  who  drinks  too  much  and 
loses  his  boat  is  as  like  as  not  to  be  murdered  by  some 
of  them  before  morning.  I  hate  them  chaps  like  poison. 
There  are  scores  of  small  craft  manned  by  them  which 
prey  upon  the  negroes,  who  are  an  honest,  merry  lot,  and 
not  bad  sailors  either  in  their  way.  Sometimes  four  or 
five  of  these  pirate  craft  will  go  together,  and  many  of 
them  are  a  good  size  and  carry  a  lot  of  guns.  They  make 
some  island  their  headquarters.  Any  niggers  there  may 
be  on  it  they  turn  into  slaves.  There  are  thousands  of 
these  islands,  so  at  least  I  should  say,  scattered  about, 
some  of  them  mere  sand-spots,  others  a  goodish  size. 

"Well,  I  hope  it  is  the  West  Indies.  There  is  plenty  of 
amusement  and  plenty  of  fighting  to  be  done  there,  and 
I  should  like  to  know  what  a  sailor  can  want  more." 

There  was  a  hum  of  approval ;  the  picture  was  certainly 
tempting. 

After  a  six  days'  run  with  a  favourable  wind  they  passed 
through  the  Straits  without  touching  at  Gibraltar,  and 
held  west  for  twenty-four  hours.  Then  the  sealed  orders 
were  opened,  and  it  was  soon  known  throughout  the  ship 
that  it  was  indeed  the  West  Indies  for  which  they  were 
bound.  The  ship's  course  was  at  once  changed.  Teneriffe 
was  passed,  and  they  stopped  for  a  day  to  take  in  fresh 
water  and  vegetables  at  St.  Vincent.  Then  her  head  was 
turned  more  westward,  and  three  weeks  later  the  Furious 
anchored  at  Port  Royal.  The  captain  went  on  shore  at 
once  to  visit  the  admiral,  and  returned  with  the  news  that 
the  Furious  was  to  cruise  off  the  coast  of  Cuba.  The 
exact  position  of  the  French  fleet  was  unknown,  but  when 
last  heard  of  was  in  the  neighbourhood  of  that  island. 

"I  must  keep  a  sharp  look-out  for  them,"  the  captain 


A   PIRATE   HOLD  91 

said,  "and  bring  back  news  of  their  whereabouts  if  I  do 
catch  sight  of  them;  that  is,  of  course,  if  we  don't  catch 
a  tartar,  for  not  only  do  the  French  ships  carry  heavier 
guns  than  we  do,  but  they  sail  faster.  We  are  as  speedy, 
however,  as  any  of  our  class,  and  will,  I  hope,  be  able  to 
show  them  a  clean  pair  of  heels.  In  addition  to  this,  I  am 
told  that  three  piratical  craft,  which  have  their  rendezvous 
on  some  island  off  the  south  coast  of  Cuba,  have  been  com- 
mitting great  depredations.  A  number  of  merchantmen 
have  been  missed;  so  I  am  to  keep  a  sharp  look-out  for 
them  and  to  clip  their  wings  if  I  can." 

"What  size  are  they  ?"  asked  the  first  lieutenant. 

"One  is  said  to  be  a  cutter  carrying  eight  guns  and  a 
long-torn,  the  other  two  are  schooners,  each  carrying  six 
guns  on  a  broadside;  it  is  not  known  whether  they  have 
a  long-torn,  but  the  probability  is  that  they  have." 

"They  would  be  rather  formidable  opponents  then  if  we 
caught  them  together,  as  they  carry  as  many  guns  as  we 
do,  and  those  long-toms  are  vastly  more  powerful  than 
anything  we  have.  I  think  it  is  a  pity  that  they  don't  fur- 
nish all  ships  on  this  station  with  a  long  twenty-four;  it 
would  be  worth  nearly  all  our  broadsides." 

"That  is  so,  Mr.  Farrance,  but  somehow  the  people  at 
home  cannot  get  out  of  their  regular  groove,  and  fill  up  the 
ships  with  eight-  and  ten-pounders,  while,  as  you  say,  one 
long  twenty-four  would  be  worth  a  dozen  of  them.  If  we 
do  catch  one  of  these  pirates  I  shall  confiscate  their  long 
guns  to  our  own  use." 

"It  would  be  a  capital  plan,  sir.  Well,  I  am  glad  we 
shall  have  something  to  look  for  besides  the  French  fleet, 
which  may  be  a  hundred  miles  away." 

"Ay,  or  a  thousand,"  the  captain  added. 


92  BY  CONDUCT  AND  COURAGE 

Will  had  been  standing  not  far  from  the  captain,  and 
heard  this  conversation.  His  heart  beat  high  at  the 
thought  of  the  possibility  of  a  fight  with  these  murderous 
pirates. 

For  three  weeks  they  cruised  off  the  coast  of  Cuba.  They 
saw  no  sign  whatever  of  the  French  fleet,  but  from  time 
to  time  they  heard  from  native  craft  of  the  pirates.  The 
natives  differed  somewhat  widely  as  to  the  head-quarters 
of  these  pests,  but  all  agreed  that  it  was  on  an  island  lying 
in  the  middle  of  dangerous  shoals. 

One  day  they  saw  smoke  rising  some  fifteen  miles  away 
and  at  once  shaped  their  course  for  it.  When  they  ap- 
proached it  they  found  that  it  rose  from  a  vessel  enveloped 
in  flames. 

"She  is  a  European  ship,"  the  captain  said  as  they 
neared  her.  "Send  an  officer  in  a  boat  to  row  round  her 
and  gather  any  particulars  as  to  her  fate.  I  see  no  boats 
near  her,  and  I  am  afraid  that  it  is  the  work  of  those 
pirates." 

All  watched  the  boat  with  intent  interest  as  she  rowed 
round  the  ship. 

"I  have  no  doubt  whatever  that  it  is  the  work  of  pi- 
rates," the  officer  said  on  his  return.  "Her  bulwarks  are 
burnt  away,  and  I  could  make  out  several  piles  on  deck 
which  looked  like  dead  men." 

"Send  a  man  up  to  the  mast-head,  Farrance,  and  tell 
him  to  scan  the  horizon  carefully  for  a  sail.  I  should  say 
this  ship  can't  have  been  burning  above  three  hours  at 
most." 

No  sooner  had  the  man  reached  the  top  of  the  mast  than 
he  called  down  "Sail  ho  I" 


A   PIRATE   HOLD  93 

"Where  away?"  Mr.  Farrance  shouted. 

"On  the  port  bow,  sir." 

"What  do  you  make  her  out  to  be  ?" 

"I  should  say  she  was  a  schooner  by  her  topsails." 

The  ship's  course  was  at  once  changed,  and  every  rag  of 
sail  put  upon  her.  The  first  lieutenant  climbed  to  the 
upper  cross-trees,  and  after  a  long  look  through  his  tele- 
scope returned  to  deck. 

"I  should  say  she  is  certainly  one  of  the  schooners  that 
we  are  in  search  of,  sir,  but  I  doubt  whether  with  this 
light  wind  we  have  much  chance  of  overhauling  her." 

"We  will  try  anyhow,"  the  captain  said.  "She  is  prob- 
ably steering  for  the  rendezvous,  so  by  following  her  we 
may  at  least  get  some  important  information." 

All  day  the  chase  continued,  but  there  was  no  apparent 
change  in  the  position  of  the  two  vessels.  The  Furious 
was  kept  on  the  same  course  through  the  night,  and  to 
the  satisfaction  of  all  on  board  they  found,  when  morning 
broke,  that  they  had  certainly  gained  on  the  schooner,  as 
her  mainsails  were  now  visible.  At  twelve  o'clock  a  low 
bank  of  sand  was  sighted  ahead,  and  the  schooner  had  en- 
tered a  channel  in  this  two  hours  later.  The  Furious  had 
to  be  hove-to  outside  the  shoal.  The  sand  extended  a  long 
distance,  but  there  were  several  breaks  in  it,  and  from 
the  masthead  a  net-work  of  channels  could  be  made  out.  It 
was  a  great  disappointment  to  the  crew  of  the  Furious  to 
have  to  give  up  the  chase  and  see  the  schooner  only  some 
four  miles  off  on  her  way  under  easy  sail. 

"This  is  an  awkward  place,  Mr.  Farrance,"  the  captain 
said,  "and  will  need  a  deal  of  examination  before  we  go 
any  farther.  The  first  thing  to  do  will  be  to  sail  round  and 


94  BY    CONDUCT   AND   COTJKAGE 

note  and  sound  the  various  channels.  I  wish  you  would 
go  aloft  with  your  glass  and  see  whether  there  is  any 
ground  higher  than  the  rest.  Such  a  place  would  natu- 
rally be  the  point  of  rendezvous." 

Lieutenant  Farrance  went  aloft  and  presently  returned. 

"There  is  a  clump  of  green  trees/'  he  said,  "some  ten 
miles  off.  The  schooner  is  nearing  them,  and  I  think, 
though  of  this  I  am  not  certain,  that  I  can  make  out  the 
masts  of  another  craft  lying  there." 

"Well,  it  is  something  to  have  located  her,"  the  captain 
said.  "Now  we  must  find  how  we  can  hest  get  there ;  that 
will  be  a  work  of  time.  We  may  as  well  begin  by  examin- 
ing some  of  these  channels." 

Four  boats  were  at  once  lowered  and  rowed  to  the 
mouths  of  those  nearest.  The  sounding  operations  quickly 
showed  that  in  three  of  them  there  was  but  two  feet  of 
water;  the  other  was  somewhat  deeper,  but  there  was  still 
two  feet  less  water  than  the  Furious  drew.  The  deep 
part  was  very  narrow  and  winding. 

"It  may  be  this  one  that  the  schooner  has  gone  up,"  the 
captain  said.  "I  have  no  doubt  she  draws  three  or  four 
feet  less  than  we  do,  and,  knowing  the  passage  perfectly, 
she  could  get  up  it  easily.  I  hope,  however,  we  shall  find 
something  deeper  presently." 

The  next  three  days  were  spent  in  circumnavigating  the 
sand-banks  and  in  sounding  the  various  channels,  but  at 
last  the  captain  was  obliged  to  admit  that  none  of  them 
were  deep  enough  for  the  Furious,  although  there  were 
fully  half  a  dozen  by  which  vessels  of  lighter  draught 
might  enter. 

"I  am  ready  to  run  any  fair  risk,  Mr.  Farrance,"  he 


A  PIRATE   HOLD  95 

said,  "but  I  daren't  send  a  boat  expedition  against  such  a 
force  as  that,  especially  as  they  have  no  doubt  thrown 
up  batteries  to  strengthen  their  position.  They  must  have 
any  number  of  cannon  which  they  have  taken  from  ships 
they  have  captured." 

"It  would  certainly  be  a  desperate  enterprise/'  the  first 
lieutenant  agreed,  "and,  as  you  say,  too  dangerous  to  be 
attempted  now." 

"Gilmore,"  Forster  said,  as  the  midshipmen  met  at 
dinner,  "you  are  always  full  of  ideas;  can't  you  suggest 
any  way  by  which  we  might  get  at  them  ?" 

"I  am  afraid  not,"  Will  laughed.  "The  only  possible 
way  that  I  can  see  would  be  to  sail  away,  get  together  a 
number  of  native  craft,  and  then  make  a  dash  at  the  place." 

"What  would  be  the  advantage  of  native  craft  over  our 
boat  ?"  one  of  the  others  said  scoffingly. 

"The  great  advantage  would  be  that,  if  we  had  a  dozen 
native  craft,  the  men  would  be  scattered  about  their  decks 
instead  of  being  crowded  in  boats,  and  would  therefore 
be  able  to  land  with  comparatively  little  loss." 

"Upon  my  word,"  one  of  the  seniors  said,  "I  think  there 
is  something  in  Gilmore's  idea.  Of  course  they  would 
have  to  be  very  shallow,  and  one  would  have  to  choose  a 
night  when  there  was  just  enough  breeze  to  take  them 
quietly  along.  At  any  rate  I  will  run  the  risk  of  being 
snubbed,  and  will  mention  it  to  one  of  the  lieutenants. 
Ton  my  word,  the  more  I  think  of  it  the  more  feasible 
does  it  seem." 

After  dinner  was  over  the  midshipman  went  up  to  Mr. 
Peters,  who  was  now  third  lieutenant,  and  saluted. 

"What  is  it  ?"  the  lieutenant  asked. 


96  BY    CONDUCT   AND   COTJKAGE 

"Well,  sir,  it  is  an  idea  of  Gilmore's.  It  may  not  be 
worth  anything  at  all,  but  it  certainly  seemed  to  me  that 
there  was  something  in  it." 

"His  ideas  are  generally  worth  something.  What  is 
it?" 

The  midshipman  explained  Will's  plan. 

"There  is  certainly  something  in  it,"  Peters  said. 
"What  a  beggar  that  boy  is  for  ideas !  At  any  rate,  I  will 
mention  it  to  Mr.  Farrance." 

Mr.  Farrance  at  first  pooh-poohed  the  idea,  but,  on 
thinking  it  over,  he  concluded  that  it  would  be  as  well  at 
any  rate  to  lay  it  before  the  captain. 

"'Pon  my  word  it  does  seem  feasible,"  the  captain  said. 
"They  could  tow  the  boats  in  after  them,  so  that,  when 
they  came  under  the  pirates'  fire,  the  men  could  get  into 
the  boats  and  so  be  in  shelter.  Only  one  hand  would  be 
required  to  steer  each  vessel,  and  the  rest  would  remain 
out  of  sight  of  the  enemy  until  near  enough  to  make  a 
dash  either  for  the  shore  or  the  pirates'  craft,  as  the  case 
might  be.  It  is  a  good  idea,  a  really  brilliant  idea,  and 
well  worth  putting  into  effect.  Besides,  each  of  the  vessels 
could  carry  one  or  two  small  guns,  and  so  keep  down  the 
enemy's  fire  to  some  extent.  Send  for  Gilmore." 

In  a  few  minutes  Will  entered  the  captain's  cabin  cap 
in  hand. 

"Mr.  Farrance  tells  me,  Mr.  Gilmore,  that  you  have  an 
idea  that  by  collecting  a  number  of  native  craft  of  shallow 
draught  we  might  attack  the  pirates  with  some  hope  of 
success." 

"It  was  only  an  idea,  sir,  that  occurred  to  me  on  the 
spur  of  the  moment." 


A   PIEATE   HOLD  97 

"Well,  I  am  inclined  to  regard  it  as  a  feasible  one," 
the  captain  said.  "A  dozen  boats  of  that  kind  would  carry 
the  greater  part  of  the  ship's  crew,  and  if  each  had  a 
couple  of  light  cannon  on  board  they  would  be  able  to 
answer  the  enemy's  fire.  If  I  do  attack  in  this  manner  I 
propose  to  send  the  boats  in  towing  behind  the  native  craft, 
so  that  when  the  enemy's  fire  becomes  really  heavy  the 
men  can  take  their  places  in  these,  and  so  be  in  shelter 
until  close  enough  to  make  a  dash.  Is  there  any  other 
suggestion  you  can  offer?" 

"No,  sir.  The  plan  of  taking  the  boats  certainly  seems 
to  me  to  be  a  good  one." 

The  captain  smiled  a  little.  He  was  not  accustomed 
to  have  his  plans  approved  of  by  midshipmen.  However, 
he  only  said:  "I  think  it  will  work.  Should  any  other 
suggestion  occur  to  you,  you  will  mention  it  to  Mr.  Far- 
ranee.  I  am  really  obliged  to  you  for  the  idea,  which  does 
great  credit  to  your  sharpness." 

"Thank  you,  sir !"  said  Will,  and  retired. 

An  hour  later  the  frigate  was  sailing  away  from  the 
sand-banks. 

"What  did  the  old  man  say  ?"  the  midshipmen  asked 
Will  as  he  rejoined  them. 

"He  thinks  that  there  was  something  in  the  idea,  but 
of  course  he  has  greatly  improved  it.  He  means  to  send 
the  boats  towing  behind  the  native  craft,  so  that  if  the 
fire  gets  very  heavy  the  men  can  take  to  them  and  be 
towed  in  perfect  shelter  until  near  enough  to  make  a  rush. 
He  intends  to  put  a  gun  or  two  in  each  of  the  native 
boats,  to  keep  down  the  enemy's  fire  a  bit  as  they  ap- 
proach." 


98  BY  CONDUCT  AND  COURAGE 

"That  is  an  improvement/'  Forster  said,  "and  it  cer- 
tainly seems,  Gilmore,  as  if  you  had  found  a  way  out  of 
our  dilemma." 

Those  who  had  been  most  disposed  to  laugh  at  Will's 
suggestion  were  eager  to  congratulate  him  now  that  the 
captain  had  expressed  his  approval  of  it  and  had  adopted 
it. 

The  Furious  sailed  direct  for  Port  Royal.  There  was 
no  fear  that  the  pirates  would  abandon  their  island,  for 
they  would  naturally  take  the  retirement  of  the  Furious 
as  an  admission  of  defeat.  They  were,  of  course,  open 
to  a  boat  attack,  but  they  would  consider  themselves 
strong  enough  to  beat  off  any  such  attempt  without  diffi- 
culty. 

Arriving  at  Port  Royal,  Lieutenant  Farrance  went 
ashore  in  search  of  suitable  craft.  He  had  no  difficulty 
in  buying  a  dozen  old  native  boats.  He  then  procured 
a  large  quantity  of  cane,  and  lashed  these  in  the  bottom 
of  the  boats,  using  a  sufficient  quantity  to  keep  them 
afloat  even  if  they  were  riddled  with  balls.  Then  the 
carpenters  set  to  work  to  make  platforms  in  the  bows  of 
each  to  carry  a  seven-pounder  gun.  In  three  days  the 
work  was  completed  and  the  Furious  started  again,  put- 
ting two  men  in  each  of  the  boats  and  taking  them  in 
tow. 

Five  days  later  they  arrived  off  the  sand-spits,  and  prep- 
arations were  at  once  made  for  the  attack.  Lying  low  in 
the  water,  and  keeping  in  a  line  behind  the  Furious,  the 
native  craft  would  be  altogether  invisible  from  the  cen- 
tral islands,  so. that  the  pirates  would  not  be  aware  of  the 
method  of  attack.  The  greater  portion  of  the  men  were 


A   PIRATE   HOLD  99 

told  off  to  them,,  only  forty  remaining  on  board  the 
Furious.  All  was  ready  an  hour  after  nightfall,  and  the 
men  took  their  places  in  the  native  craft,  fastening  their 
boats  to  the  stern  in  each  case.  The  sails  were  at  once  got 
up,  and,  following  each  other  in  single  file,  they  entered 
the  channel  which  had  been  found  to  be  the  deepest.  The 
leading  boat  kept  on  sounding — an  easy  matter,  as,  the 
wind  being  light,  the  rate  of  progress  did  not  exceed  a 
mile  an  hour. 

Will  had  been  posted  by  the  first  lieutenant  in  his  own 
boat,  which  was  the  leader,  and  Dimchurch  and  Tom 
Stevens  were  among  the  crew.  Dimchurch  had  exchanged 
places  with  another  seaman ;  Tom  had  been  allowed  a  place 
by  the  special  solicitation  of  Will. 

"He  fought  stoutly  in  that  fight  on  the  Moorish  prize, 
and  he  is  very  much  attached  to  me.  I  should  be  obliged, 
sir,  if  you  would  take  him." 

"All  right!"  said  the  first  lieutenant;  "let  him  stow 
himself  away  in  the  bow  till  the  fighting  begins."  Ac- 
cordingly Tom  curled  himself  up  by  the  gun. 

It  was  between  two  and  three  in  the  morning  when  the 
trees  of  the  central  island  were  made  out;  they  were  not 
more  than  five  hundred  yards  away.  Presently  from  a 
projecting  point,  where  a  heavy  mass  could  be  made  out, 
a  cannon  was  fired.  The  shot  flew  overhead,  but  the  effect 
was  instantaneous.  Shouts  were  heard  on  shore  and  the 
sound  of  oars  in  rowlocks. 

"Take  to  the  boats !"  the  lieutenant  shouted.  The  two 
lines  of  lights  in  the  port-holes  showed  the  positions  of 
two  vessels,  and  the  men  on  the  native  craft  left  to  work 
the  guns  at  once  opened  fire  at  them.  For  a  minute  or 


100  BY   CONDUCT  AND  COUHAGE 

two  there  was  no  return,  and  it  was  evident  that  the 
greater  portion  of  the  crew  had  been  ashore.  The  battery 
that  had  first  fired  now  kept  up  a  steady  discharge,  but 
as  the  boats  were  almost  invisible,  the  shot  flew  wildly 
overhead  or  splashed  harmlessly  in  the  water.  The  gun- 
ners on  board  disregarded  it,  and  maintained  a  steady 
fire  at  the  ports  of  the  enemy's  vessels.  From  these  now 
came  answering  flashes,  but  the  shot  did  little  damage. 

When  the  attacking  party  had  got  within  a  hundred 
yards  of  the  pirate  ships,  the  lieutenant  gave  the  signal, 
and  the  boats,  with  a  cheer,  dashed  forward  at  full  speed. 
They  had  received  instructions  how  to  act  in  case  two 
vessels  were  found,  and,  dividing,  they  made  for  their 
respective  quarters. 

The  race  was  short  and  sharp,  each  officer  urging  his 
men  to  the  fullest  exertions.  The  instant  they  were  along- 
side the  oars  were  cast  aside,  and  the  men,  drawing  their 
cutlasses,  leapt  to  their  feet  and  endeavoured  to  climb 
up.  They  were  thrust  back  with  boarding-pikes,  axes, 
and  weapons  of  all  kinds,  but  at  last  managed  to  get  a 
foothold  aft. 

Will  in  vain  endeavoured  to  get  on  deck;  the  sides  were 
too  high  for  him.  Finding  himself  left  with  half  the 
crew,  he  made  his  way  in  the  boat  forward  along  the  side 
of  the  pirate  vessel  and  clambered  up  by  the  bowsprit 
shrouds.  Some  of  the  men  in  the  other  boats,  seeing  what 
he  was  doing,  followed  his  example.  They  were  unnoticed. 
A  fierce  fight  was  raging  on  the  quarter-deck,  and  the 
shouting  was  prodigious.  When  some  thirty  men  were 
gathered  Will  led  the  way  aft.  Their  arrival  was  oppor- 
tune, for  the  attacking  party,  under  the  lieutenant,  had 


WILL    LEADS   A    PARTY  TO   TAKE  THE   ENEMY   IN   THE   REAR. 


A   PIRATE   HOLD  101 

been  vastly  outnumbered  by  the  pirates,  and  although 
fighting  stoutly,  had  been  penned  against  the  bulwark, 
where  with  difficulty  they  defended  themselves. 

With  a  cheer  Will's  party  rushed  aft,  taking  the  pirates 
in  the  rear.  Many  of  these  were  cut  down,  and  the  rest 
fell  back  confused  by  this  unexpected  attack. 

"Now  is  your  time,  lads !"  the  lieutenant  shouted. 
"Throw  yourselves  upon  them  and  drive  them  back!" 

Although  the  pirates  still  fought  desperately,  knowing 
that  no  mercy  would  be  extended  them,  the  steady  valour 
of  the  sailors  was  too  much  for  them.  At  last  the  pirate 
captain  was  cut  down  by  Dimchurch,  and  with  his  fall 
his  men  entirely  lost  heart.  Some  threw  down  their  arms, 
and  many  of  them  jumped  overboard  and  swam  ashore. 
A  loud  cheer  burst  from  the  sailors  as  the  resistance  came 
to  an  end. 

The  fight  was  still  raging  on  board  the  other  ship,  and 
the  lieutenant  ordered  the  men  of  his  own  and  another 
boat  to  row  to  it.  Unseen  by  the  pirates  they  reached  the 
bow  and  climbed  on  deck.  Then  as  soon  as  all  had  gained 
a  footing  they  rushed  aft.  Here,  too,  the  rear  attack  de- 
cided the  struggle;  in  five  minutes  all  was  over. 

Daylight  was  now  breaking,  and  they  were  able  to  see 
that  there  was  a  line  of  storehouses  on  the  islands  to- 
gether with  a  large  number  of  huts.  The  greater  portion 
of  the  men  were  ordered  to  land,  and  the  fugitives  from 
the  ships  were  hunted  down.  Most  of  these  had  taken 
refuge  in  the  battery  at  the  mouth  of  the  harbour,  but  as 
this  was  open  on  the  land  side  it  was  soon  stormed  and 
the  defenders  all  cut  down.  Then  the  huts  were  searched 
and  burnt  and  the  storehouses  opened. 


102  BY    CONDUCT   AND   COURAGE 

These  were  found  to  contain  an  enormous  quantity  of 
goods,  the  spoil  evidently  of  many  ships,  and  the  men  were 
at  once  set  to  work  to  transfer  it  to  the  prizes,  and  when 
these  were  full,  to  the  native  craft.  A  boat  had  been  sent 
off,  directly  the  fighting  was  over,  with  news  to  the  cap- 
tain of  the  success  they  had  gained,  and  in  the  morning 
another  message  was  sent  saying  that  it  would  take  four 
or  five  days  to  transfer  the  stores  to  the  ships,  and  the 
Furious  had  in  consequence  hoisted  anchor  and  gone  for 
a  short  cruise  away  from  the  dangerous  proximity  of  the 
sands. 

On  the  afternoon  of  the  third  day  a  large  cutter  was 
seen  approaching.  Lieutenant  Farrance  ordered  the  na- 
tive craft  to  be  towed  behind  a  small  islet,  where  they  were 
hidden  from  sight  of  a  vessel  entering  the  harbour,  and 
the  crews  to  take  their  places  on  the  captured  vessels. 
When  this  was  done  the  guns  were  loaded  and  the  men 
stood  to  their  quarters.  The  new-comer  approached  with- 
out apparently  entertaining  any  suspicion  that  anything 
unusual  had  happened,  the  huts  that  had  been  destroyed 
being  hidden  by  the  groves  of  trees. 

As  she  came  abreast  of  them  the  guns  were  run  out  and 
the  lieutenant  shouted :  "I  call  upon  you  to  surrender ! 
These  vessels  are  prizes  of  His  Majesty's  frigate  Furious, 
and  if  you  don't  surrender  we  will  sink  you  at  once  I" 

There  was  a  hoarse  shout  of  fury  and  astonishment, 
and  then  the  captain  called  back:  "We  will  never  sur- 
render !" 

Both  the  schooners  at  once  poured  in  their  broadsides, 
doing  immense  damage,  and  killing  large  numbers  of  the 
pirates.  A  few  cannon  were  fired  in  answer,  but  in  such 


A   PIRATE    HOLD  103 

haste  that  they  had  no  effect.  When  two  more  broadsides 
had  been  fired  into  her,  the  cutter  blew  up  with  a  tremen- 
dous explosion  which  shook  both  vessels  to  the  keel  and 
threw  many  of  the  men  down.  When  the  smoke  cleared 
away  the  cutter  had  disappeared.  Whether  a  shot  had 
reached  her  magazine,  or  whether  she  was  blown  up  by 
her  desperate  commander,  was  never  known,  as  not  a  sin- 
gle survivor  of  the  crew  was  picked  up. 

When  the  work  of  loading  was  completed,  and  the  store- 
houses had  been  destroyed  by  fire,  the  two  schooners 
sailed  out,  followed  by  the  native  craft  with  the  boats 
towing  behind. 

The  victory  had  been  won  at  very  little  cost.  Only 
three  men  had  been  killed  and  some  seventeen  wounded, 
while  with  the  exception  of  some  thirty  prisoners,  for  the 
most  part  wounded,  the  whole  pirate  force  had  been  anni- 
hilated. 

The  captain  had  already  visited  the  scene,  having  rowed 
in  as  soon  as  he  had  received  news  of  the  success  of  the 
expedition.  In  Lieutenant  Farrance's  despatch  several 
officers  were  noted  for  distinguished  conduct.  Among 
these  was  Will  Gilmore,  to  whom  the  lieutenant  gave  great 
credit  for  the  manner  in  which  he  had  boarded  the  pirate, 
and  by  his  sudden  attack  upon  the  rear  of  the  enemy  con- 
verted what  was  a  distinctly  perilous  situation  into  a 
success. 

"I  tell  you  what  it  is,  Gilmore/'  one  of  the  midshipmen 
jestingly  said,  "if  you  go  on  like  this  we  shall  send  you 
to  Coventry.  It  is  unbearable  that  you  should  always  get 
to  the  front." 

Great  was  the  rejoicing  among  the  merchants  of  Port 


104  BY  CONDUCT  AND  COURAGE 

Koyal  when  the  Furious  returned  with  her  two  prizes  and 
it  became  known  that  the  third  had  been  destroyed  and 
the  nest  of  pirates  completely  broken  up. 

On  the  following  day  Will  was  sent  for  by  the  ad- 
miral. 

"My  lad/'  he  said,  "I  wish  to  tell  you  that  although  it 
is  not  usual  for  a  captain  to  acknowledge  in  official  de- 
spatches that  he  acted  on  the  ideas  of  a  young  midshipman, 
Captain  Harker  has  done  full  justice  to  you  in  his  verbal 
report  to  me.  Your  idea  showed  great  ingenuity,  and  al- 
though the  surprise  was  so  complete  that  even  had  the 
attack  been  made  by  ships'  boats  only  it  would  probably 
have  been  successful,  this  detracts  in  no  way  from  the 
merit  of  the  suggestion.  Of  course  you  have  some  years 
to  serve  yet  before  you  can  pass,  but  I  can  promise  you 
that  as  soon  as  you  do  so  you  shall,  if  you  are  still  here, 
have  your  appointment  at  once  as  mate,  with  employment 
in  which  you  can  distinguish  yourself." 

"Thank  you  very  much,  sir !"  Will  said,  and,  saluting, 
retired. 

In  three  days  the  ship's  prizes  and  native  craft  were 
unloaded,  and  their  contents  were  found  to  be  of  very 
great  value,  for  by  the  marks  upon  the  goods  it  was  evident 
that  at  least  twenty-three  merchantmen  must  have  been 
captured  and  pillaged,  and  as  none  of  these  were  ever  heard 
of  after  they  had  sailed  it  was  reasonably  concluded  that 
all  must  have  been  burnt,  and  those  on  board  murdered. 
The  case  was  so  atrocious  that  the  prisoners  were  all  tried, 
condemned  to  death,  and  executed  in  batches.  There  was 
little  doubt  that  the  pirates  must  have  had  agents  in  the 
various  ports  who  had  kept  them  informed  of  the  sailing 


A   PIRATE   HOLD  105 

of  ships,  but  there  was  no  means  of  ascertaining  who  these 
parties  were. 

The  Furious  sailed  four  days  after  her  return,  and  this 
time  cruised  on  the  northern  coast  of  Cuba.  One  day, 
when  sailing  along  by  a  stretch  of  high  cliffs,  a  ship  of 
war  suddenly  appeared  from  a  narrow  inlet;  she  was  fol- 
lowed by  two  others.  The  Furious  was  headed  round  at 
once,  and  with  the  three  French  frigates  in  pursuit  started 
on  her  way  back.  The  wind  was  light,  and  though  every 
stitch  of  canvas  was  set,  it  was  evident,  after  an  hour's 
sailing,  that  one,  at  least,  of  her  pursuers  gained  steadily 
on  her.  The  French  ship  would,  indeed,  have  gained  more 
than  she  had  done  had  she  not  yawed  occasionally  and 
fired  with  her  bow-chasers.  The  Furious  had  shifted  two 
of  her  broadside  guns  to  her  stern  to  reply,  but,  although 
the  aim  was  good,  only  one  or  two  hits  were  made,  the 
distance  being  still  too  great  for  accurate  shooting. 

"I  wish  the  other  two  Frenchmen  were  a  little  slower," 
the  captain  said  to  the  first  lieutenant.  "They  are  only 
a  little  farther  behind  her  than  when  we  started,  and  are, 
I  think,  only  about  half  a  mile  astern  of  her.  If  she  con- 
tinues to  travel  at  her  present  rate  she  will  be  close  up  to 
us  by  sunset.  She  is  just  about  our  own  size,  and  I  make 
no  doubt  that  we  should  give  a  good  account  of  her,  but 
we  could  not  hope  to  do  so  before  her  two  consorts  came 
up,  and  we  could  not  expect  to  beat  all  three.  If  we  could 
but  fall  in  with  one  of  our  cruisers  I  would  fight  them 
willingly." 

"Yes,  the  odds  are  too  much  against  us  at  present,  sir. 
I  don't  say  that  we  could  not  fight  them  separately,  but 
we  could  hardly  hope  to  beat  three  of  them  at  once.  We 


106  BY  CONDUCT  AND  COURAGE 

can't  make  her  go  through  the  water  faster  than  she  is 
doing  as  far  as  I  can  see." 

"No,  every  sail  seems  to  be  doing  its  best.  There  is 
nothing  for  it  but  to  pray  either  for  another  frigate  or 
for  more  wind.  I  am  not  sure  that  wind  would  help  us, 
still  it  might." 

"I  think,  sir,"  the  lieutenant  said,  two  hours  later,  "that 
one  of  our  wishes  is  going  to  be  fulfilled.  There  is  a  cloud 
rising  very  rapidly  on  the  larboard  bow,  and  from  its 
colour  and  appearance  it  seems  to  me  that  we  are  going  to 
have  a  tornado." 

"It  will  be  welcome  indeed,"  the  captain  said.  "We 
have  been  hit  ten  times  in  the  last  half-hour,  and  the  near- 
est ship  is  not  more  than  three-quarters  of  a  mile  away." 

Five  minutes  later  the  captain  said:  "It  is  certainly  a 
tornado.  All  hands  reduce  sail.  Don't  waste  a  moment, 
lads;  it  will  be  on  us  in  three  minutes." 

In  a  moment  the  vessel  was  a  scene  of  bustle;  the  men 
swarmed  up  the  rigging,  urged  to  the  greatest  exertions 
not  only  by  the  voices  of  their  officers  but  by  the  appear- 
ance of  the  heavens.  The  frigate  behind  held  on  three 
or  four  minutes  longer,  then  her  sheets  were  let  fly,  and 
immediately  she  was  a  scene  of  wild  confusion. 

"It  will  be  on  her  before  she  is  ready,"  the  captain  said 
grimly,  "and  if  it  is,  she  will  turn  turtle.  It  is  as  much 
as  we  shall  do  to  be  ready." 

Just  as  a  line  of  white  foam  was  seen  approaching  with 
the  speed  of  a  race-horse,  the  last  man  reached  the 
deck. 

"I  would  give  a  great  deal,"  the  captain  said,  "to  have 
time  to  get  down  all  our  light  spars.  Get  ready  your 


A   PIRATE   HOLD  107 

small  fore  try-sail,,  and  a  small  stay-sail  to  run  up  on  the 
mizzen." 

A  minute  later  the  storm  was  upon  them.  A  blinding 
sheet  of  spray,  driven  with  almost  the  force  of  grape- 
shot,  swept  over  the  ship,  followed  by  a  deafening  roar  and 
a  force  of  wind  that  seemed  about  to  lift  the  ship  bodily 
out  of  the  water.  Over  and  over  she  heeled,  and  all 
thought  that  she  was  about  to  founder,  when,  even  above 
the  noise  of  the  storm,  three  loud  crashes  were  heard, 
and  the  three  masts,  with  all  their  lofty  hamper,  went 
over  the  side. 

"Thank  God,"  the  lieutenant  exclaimed,  "that  has  saved 
her!" 

All  hands  with  axes  and  knives  began  cutting  away 
the  wreckage.  At  the  same  time  the  two  try-sails  were 
hoisted,  but  they  at  once  blew  out  of  the  bolt-ropes. 

"Don't  you  think,  sir,"  the  first  lieutenant  shouted, 
"that  if  we  lash  a  hawser  to  all  this  hamper,  and  hang  to 
it,  it  will  act  as  a  floating  anchor,  and  bring  her  head  up 
to  the  wind?" 

"Very  well  thought  of,  Mr.  Farrance,"  the  captain 
shouted  back;  "by  all  means  do  so." 

The  order  was  given  and  immediately  carried  out.  The 
tangle  of  ropes  and  spars,  with  the  ship's  strongest  hawser 
attached,  soon  drifted  past  her,  and  as  the  cable  tightened 
the  vessel's  head  began  to  come  slowly  up  into  the  wind. 

"That  will  delay  her  fate  for  a  bit,"  the  captain  said, 
"but  we  can't  hope  that  it  will  more  than  delay  it,  unless 
we  can  get  up  some  sail  and  crawl  off  the  coast.  Get 
ready  the  strongest  try-sails  we  have  in  case  they  may  be 
wanted." 


108  BY  CONDUCT  AND  COURAGE 

In  a  few  minutes  the  sails  were  got  ready,  but  for  the 
present  there  was  nothing  for  it  but  to  hang  on  to  the 
wreckage.  The  shore  was  some  miles  away,  but  in  spite 
of  the  floating  anchor  the  drift  was  great.  The  crew  of 
the  Furious  had  now  time  to  breathe,  but  it  was  pitch  dark 
and  nothing  could  be  seen  save  the  white  heads  of  the 
waves  which  now  every  moment  threatened  to  overwhelm 
them.  Not  a  trace  of  the  frigate  which  had  so  hotly  pur- 
sued them  could  be  seen. 

"God  rest  their  souls !"  the  captain  said  earnestly.  "I 
am  afraid  she  is  gone.  In  fair  fight  one  strives  to  do  as 
much  damage  as  possible,  but  such  a  catastrophe  as  this 
is  awful.  I  trust  the  other  two  took  warning  in  time." 

"I  hope  so  too.  They  were  under  the  lee  of  that  island 
we  passed  shortly  before  it  began,  so  would  be  partially 
sheltered.  There  is  no  hope  for  the  first,  and  their  fate 
is  terrible  indeed,  sir ;  all  the  more  awful,  perhaps,  because 
we  know  that  it  may  become  ours  before  long." 

"There  is  no  doubt  about  that,"  the  captain  said.  "Un- 
less the  wind  drops  or  chops  round  our  fate  is  sealed,  and 
a  few  hours  will  see  the  ship  grinding  her  bones  on  that 
rocky  shore.  It  is  too  dark  to  see  it,  but  we  know  that  we 
are  most  surely  approaching  it." 

As  day  broke  the  shore  was  made  out  a  little  more  than 
half  a  mile  away.  The  captain  then  called  the  crew  to- 
gether. 

"My  lads,"  he  shouted,  but  in  spite  of  his  efforts  his 
voice  was  heard  but  a  few  yards  away,  "everything  has 
been  done  for  the  ship  that  could  be  done,  but  as  you  see 
for  yourselves  our  efforts  have  been  in  vain.  I  trust  that 
you  will  all  get  ashore,  but  as  far  as  we  can  see  at  present 


A   PIRATE    HOLD  109 

the  rocks  are  almost  precipitous,  and,  high  as  they  are,  the 
spray  flies  right  over  them.  I  thank  you  all  for  your  good 
conduct  while  the  ship  has  been  in  commission,,  and  am 
sure  that  you  will  know  how  to  die,  and  will  preserve  your 
calm  and  courage  till  the  end.  Go  to  your  stations  and 
remain  there  until  she  is  about  to  strike;  then  each  man 
must  make  the  best  fight  for  life  that  he  can." 

The  men  went  quietly  off.  Mr.  Farrance  stood  watch- 
ing the  shore  with  his  telescope.  Presently  he  exclaimed : 
"See,  sir,  there  is  a  break  in  the  cliff !  I  do  not  know  how 
far  it  goes  in,  but  it  looks  to  me  as  if  it  might  be  the 
opening  to  an  inlet.  We  are  nearly  opposite  to  it,  so  if 
we  shift  the  hawser  from  the  bow  to  the  stern  she  will 
swing  round,  and  will  probably  drift  right  into  the  creek 
if  that  is  what  it  is." 

"By  all  means  let  us  make  the  attempt,"  the  captain 
said.  "Thank  God,  there  is  a  hope  of  escape  for  us  all !" 

The  men  sprang  to  their  feet  with  alacrity  when  they 
heard  the  news.  Another  hawser  was  brought  up  and 
firmly  spliced  to  the  one  in  use  just  beyond  the  bulwark 
forward.  Then  it  was  led  along  outside  the  shrouds  and 
fastened  to  the  bitts  astern  and  then  to  the  mizzen-mast. 
This  done,  the  first  hawser  was  cut  at  the  bulwark  forward, 
and  the  ship  swung  round  almost  instantly.  As  soon  as  she 
headed  dead  for  shore  the  raffle  that  had  so  long  served  for 
their  floating  anchor  was  cut  adrift  and  the  try-sail  was 
hoisted  on  the  stump  of  the  foremast,  and  with  six  good 
men  at  the  wheel  the  vessel  surged  shorewards  under  the 
force  of  the  gale,  every  man  on  board  holding  his  breath. 
The  opening  was  but  a  ship's-length  across,  but  driven 
by  the  wind  and  steered  with  the  greatest  care  the  Furious 


110  BY   CONDUCT  AND  COURAGE 

shot  into  it  as  quickly  and  as  surely  as  if  she  were  pro- 
pelled with  oars.  A  great  shout  of  relief  burst  from  the 
whole  crew  when,  after  proceeding  for  a  hundred  yards 
along  a  narrow  channel,  the  passage  suddenly  widened  out 
into  a  pool  a  quarter  of  a  mile  across. 

"Let  go  the  anchor !"  the  captain  cried,  and  he  had 
scarce  spoken  when  the  great  anchor  went  thundering 
down.  "Pay  out  the  chain  gradually/'  was  the  next  order, 
"and  check  her  when  she  gets  half-way  across."  The  order 
was  obeyed  and  the  vessel's  head  swung  round,  and  in  less 
than  a  minute  she  was  riding  quietly  over  great  waves  that 
came  rolling  in  through  the  entrance  and  broke  in  foam 
against  the  shore  of  the  inlet.  The  quiet  after  the  roar 
and  din  was  almost  startling.  Above,  the  clouds  could 
be  seen  flying  past  in  rugged  masses,  but  the  breast  of  the 
pool,  sheltered  as  it  was  from  the  wind  by  its  lofty  sides, 
was  scarcely  rippled,  and  the  waves  rolled  in  as  if  they 
were  made  of  glass.  Not  a  word  was  heard  until  the  cap- 
tain spoke. 

"It  is  the  least  we  can  do,  men,  to  thank  God  for  this 
miraculous  escape.  I  trust  that  there  is  not  a  man  on 
board  this  ship  who  will  not  offer  his  fervent  thanks  to 
Him  who  has  so  wonderfully  brought  us  out  of  the  jaws  of 
death." 

Every  head  was  bared,  and  for  two  or  three  minutes 
no  sound  was  heard  on  board  the  ship.  Then  the  captain 
replaced  his  hat,  and  the  men  went  quietly  off  to  their 
duties. 


A   NARROW   ESCAPE  111 

CHAPTER   VI 

A    NARROW    ESCAPE 

THEY  were  hardly  anchored  before  the  gale  showed 
signs  of  breaking,  and  in  a  few  hours  the  sun  shone 
out  and  the  wind  subsided.  The  destruction  of  the  timber 
on  the  hillsides  had  been  prodigious,  and  large  spaces  were 
entirely  cleared. 

The  captain  and  first  lieutenant  had  an  anxious  con- 
sultation. Every  boat  had  gone,  and  all  the  masts  and 
rigging.  They  were  in  what  was  practically  a  hostile 
country,  for  although  Spain  had  not  declared  war  against 
us,  she  gave  every  assistance  to  the  French  and  left  her 
ports  open  to  them.  In  a  few  weeks  probably  she  would 
openly  throw  herself  into  the  scale  against  us. 

"It  is  clear  that  we  must  communicate  with  Port  Eoyal 
somehow/'  the  captain  said,  "  but  it  certainly  isn't  clear 
how  we  are  to  do  it.  Between  this  and  the  nearest  port 
there  may  be  miles  and  miles  of  mountain  all  encumbered 
by  fallen  trees,  which  it  would  be  almost  impossible  to  get 
through.  Then  again  we  have  heard  that  there  are  always 
bands  of  fugitive  slaves  in  the  mountains,  who  would  be 
sure  to  attack  us.  As  to  the  sea,  we  might  possibly  make 
shift  to  build  a  boat.  There  is  certainly  no  lack  of  tim- 
ber lying  round,  and  we  have  plenty  of  sail-cloth  for  sails, 
so  we  could  fit  her  out  fairly  well.  It  would  be  a  journey 
of  fully  a  thousand  miles,  but  that  seems  the  most  feasible 


112  BY  CONDUCT  AND  COURAGE 

plan.  A  small  craft  of,  say,  forty  feet  long  might  be  built 
and  got  ready  for  sea  in  the  course  of  a  week." 

"I  should  say  so  certainly,  sir.  With  the  amount  of 
labour  we  have  at  our  disposal  it  might  be  built  even 
sooner  than  that.  We  have  plenty  of  handy  men  on  board 
who  could  give  efficient  help  to  the  carpenter's  gang." 

"I  suppose  you  would  build  it  rather  as  a  ship  than  as 
a  boat?" 

"Yes,  I  think  so.  We  could  build  her  of  one-and-a-half- 
inch  planks,  fill  the  seams  well  with  oakum,  and  give  her 
a  couple  of  coats  of  paint.  Let  her  be  of  shallow  draft 
with  plenty  of  beam.  She  should,  of  course,  be  decked 
over,  as  she  might  meet  with  another  tornado.  The  crew 
would  consist  of  an  officer  and  ten  men.  With  such  a 
vessel  there  should  be  no  difficulty  in  reaching  Port 
Royal." 

The  carpenters  were  at  once  told  off  to  carry  out  the 
work. 

"You  can  have  as  many  hands  to  help  you  as  you  wish," 
the  captain  said  to  the  head  of  the  gang.  "What  will  you 
do  first?" 

"I  shall  get  some  planks  from  below,  sir,  and  make  a 
raft.  By  means  of  that  we  can  get  on  shore  and  choose  the 
trunks  that  would  be  most  suitable  for  the  purpose ;  we  are 
sure  to  find  plenty  about.  Then  we  will  find  a  suitable  spot 
for  a  ship-yard,  and  at  once  start  on  the  work.  I  will 
set  a  gang  of  men  with  axes  to  square  the  trunks  and 
make  them  ready  for  sawing.  They  need  not  be  more 
than  six  inches  square  when  finished,  and  as  I  have  a 
couple  of  double-handed  saws  we  can  soon  rip  these  into 
planks." 


A  NARROW   ESCAPE  113 

"How  long  do  you  think  you  will  be  ?" 

"I  should  say,  sir,  with  the  help  I  can  get,  I  ought  to  be 
ready  to  start  in  less  than  a  week.  Of  course  the  ribs  will 
take  some  time  to  prepare,  but  when  I  have  them  and 
the  keel  and  stem-  and  stern-post  in  place  the  planking 
will  not  take  us  very  long." 

"She  is  to  be  decked,  Thompson." 

"All  over,  sir?" 

"Yes,  I  think  so.  She  may  meet  with  weather  like 
that  we  have  just  come  through,  and  if  she  is  well  decked 
we  may  feel  assured  that  she  will  reach  Port  Royal.  I 
will  leave  Mr.  Farrance  and  you  to  draw  out  her  lines." 

"I  think,"  said  the  first  lieutenant,  "she  should  be  like 
a  magnified  launch,  with  greater  beam  and  a  larger  draft 
of  water,  which  could,  perhaps,  best  be  gained  by  giving 
her  a  deep  keel.  Of  course  she  must  be  a  good  deal  higher 
out  of  the  water  than  a  launch,  say  a  good  four  feet  under 
the  deck.  There  should  be  no  need  to  carry  much  ballast ; 
she  will  gain  her  stability  by  her  beam." 

"I  understand,  sir.  The  first  thing  to  be  done  is  to  form 
the  raft." 

The  ship's  crew  were  soon  at  work,  and  it  was  not  long 
before  a  raft  was  constructed.  A  rope  was  at  once  taken 
ashore  and  made  fast  to  a  tree,  so  that  the  raft  could  be 
hauled  rapidly  backwards  and  forwards  between  the  ship 
and  the  shore. 

The  carpenter  and  his  mates  were  the  first  to  land,  and 
while  the  chief  selected  a  suitable  point  for  a  yard  his 
assistants  scattered,  examining  all  fallen  trees  and  cutting 
the  branches  off  those  that  seemed  most  suitable.  These 
were  soon  dragged  down  to  the  yard.  Then  strong  gangs 


114  BY  CONDUCT  AND  COUKAGE 

set  to  work  to  square  them,  and  the  carpenters  to  cut  them 
into  planks. 

The  first  lieutenant  remained  with  them,,  encouraging 
them  at  their  work,  while  the  junior  officers  and  midship- 
men were  divided  among  the  various  gangs.  By  six  o'clock, 
when  the  Furious  signalled  for  all  hands  to  come  on  board, 
they  had  indeed  done  a  good  day's  work.  A  pile  of  planks 
lay  ready  to  be  used  as  required.  The  carpenters  had 
made  some  progress  with  a  keel,  which  they  were  labori- 
ously chopping  out  from  the  straight  trunk  of  a  large  tree. 
By  evening  of  the  next  day  this  was  finished  and  placed  in 
position.  On  the  third  day  some  started  to  shape  the 
stem-  and  stern-posts,  while  the  head-carpenter  made  from 
some  thin  planks  templates  of  the  ribs,  and  set  others  to 
chop  out  the  ribs  to  fit. 

In  two  more  days  all  was  ready  for  fastening  on  the 
planks.  A  hundred  and  fifty  men  can  get  through  an 
amazing  amount  of  labour  when  they  work  well  and  heart- 
ily. The  planks  were  bent  by  main  strength  to  fit  in  their 
places,  and  as  there  was  an  abundance  of  nails  and  other 
necessary  articles  on  board,  the  sheathing  was  finished  in 
two  days.  The  rest  of  the  work  was  comparatively  easy. 
While  the  deck  was  being  laid  the  hull  was  caulked  and 
painted,  and  the  two  masts,  sails,  and  rigging  prepared. 
The  boat  had  no  bulwarks,  it  being  considered  that  she 
would  be  a  much  better  sea-boat  without  them,  as  in  case 
of  shipping  a  sea  the  water  would  run  off  at  once.  The 
hatchways  fore  and  aft  were  made  very  small,  with  close- 
fitting  hatches  covered  with  tarpaulin. 

The  captain  was  delighted  when  she  was  finished. 

"She  is  really  a  fine  boat,"  he  said,  "with  her  forty 


A   NARROW   ESCAPE  115 

feet  of  length  and  fifteen  of  beam.  It  has  taken  longer  to 
build  her  than  I  had  expected,  but  we  had  not  reckoned 
sufficiently  on  the  difficulties.  Everything,  however,  has 
now  been  done  to  make  her  seaworthy,  so  those  of  us  who 
remain  here  may  feel  sure  that  she  will  reach  Port  Eoyal 
safely.  In  case  of  a  gale  the  sails  must  be  lowered  and 
lashed  to  the  deck,  and  all  hands  must  go  below  and 
fasten  the  hatchways  securely.  She  has  no  ballast  except 
her  stores,  but  I  think  she  will  be  perfectly  safe;  there  is 
very  little  chance  of  her  capsizing." 

"With  such  beam  and  such  a  depth  of  keel,"  said  the 
first  lieutenant,  "she  could  not  possibly  capsize.  In  case 
of  a  tornado  the  masts  might  very  well  be  taken  out  of  her 
and  used  as  a  floating  anchor  to  keep  her  head  to  it." 

"Now  whom  do  you  intend  to  send  in  her,  sir?" 

"I  will  send  two  officers,"  the  captain  said.  "Peters, 
and  a  midshipman  to  take  his  place  in  case  he  should  be 
disabled.  I  think  it  is  Bobson's  turn  for  special  service." 

The  next  morning  the  boat  started  soon  after  daybreak, 
the  ship's  crew  all  watching  her  till  the  two  white  lug- 
sails  disappeared  through  the  opening. 

"Now  we  will  take  a  strong  party  of  wood-cutters,"  the 
captain  said,  "and  see  if  we  can  make  a  way  to  the  top  of 
the  hill  and  get  some  idea  of  the  country  round.  I  don't 
expect  we  shall  see  much  of  interest,  but  it  is  just  as  well 
that  we  should  be  kept  employed.  By  the  way,  before  we 
do  that,  we  will  get  hawsers  to  the  shore  and  work  the 
frigate  round  so  as  to  bring  her  broadside  to  bear  upon 
the  opening;  we  ought  to  have  done  that  at  first.  The 
French  may  know  of  this  place,  or  if  they  don't  they  may 
learn  of  it  from  the  Spaniards.  Those  two  ships  astern 


116  BY   CONDUCT   AND  COUKAGE 

of  us  probably  got  themselves  snug  before  the  tornado 
struck  them,  and  weathered  it  all  right,  though  I  doubt 
very  much  if  they  did  so,  unless  they  knew  of  some  inlets 
they  could  run  for.  If  they  did  escape,  it  is  likely  that 
they  will  be  taking  some  trouble  to  find  out  what  became 
of  us.  They  may  have  seen  their  companion's  fate,  but 
they  would  hardly  have  made  us  out  in  the  darkness. 
Still,  they  would  certainly  want  to  report  our  loss,  and 
may  sail  along  close  inshore  to  look  for  timbers  and  other 
signs  of  wreck.  I  think,  therefore,  that  it  will  be  advisable 
to  station  a  well-armed  boat  at  this  end  of  the  cut,  and  tell 
them  to  row  every  half-hour  or  so  to  the  other  end  and 
see  if  they  can  make  out  either  sailing  or  rowing  craft 
coming  along  the  shore.  If  they  do  see  them  they  must 
retire  to  this  end  of  the  opening,  unless  they  can  find  some 
place  where  they  could  hide  till  a  boat  came  abreast  of 
them,  and  then  pounce  out  and  capture  it." 

"It  would  certainly  be  a  good  precaution,  sir.  I  will 
see  to  it  at  once — but  we  are  both  forgetting  that  we  have 
no  boats." 

"Bless  me,  I  did  forget  that  altogether !  Well,  here  is 
that  little  dug-out  the  carpenters  made  for  sending  mes- 
sages to  and  from  the  ship.  It  will  carry  three.  I  should 
be  glad  if  you  would  take  a  couple  of  hands  and  row  down 
to  the  mouth  of  the  entrance  and  see  if  there  is  any  place 
where,  without  any  great  difficulty,  a  small  party  with  a 
gun  could  be  stationed  so  as  not  to  be  noticed  by  a  boat 
coming  up." 

"I  understand,  sir." 

The  lieutenant  started  at  once,  and  when  he  returned, 
some  hours  later,  he  reported  that  there  was  a  ledge  some 


A   NARROW   ESCAPE  117 

twenty  feet  long  and  twelve  deep.  "It  is  about  eight  feet 
from  the  water's  edge  and  some  twelve  above  it,  sir/'  he 
said,  "and  is  not  noticeable  until  one  is  almost  directly 
opposite  it.  If  we  were  to  pile  up  rocks  regularly  four 
feet  high  along  the  face,  both  the  gun  and  its  crew  would 
be  completely  hidden." 

"Get  one  of  the  hands  on  board,  Mr.  Farrance;  I  will 
myself  go  and  see  it  with  you." 

One  of  the  men  at  once  climbed  on  deck,  and  the  cap- 
tain took  his  place  in  the  little  dug-out.  When  they 
reached  the  ledge  he  made  a  careful  inspection  of  it. 

"Yes,"  he  said,  "ten  men  could  certainly  lie  hidden 
here,  and  with  a  rough  parapet,  constructed  to  look  as 
natural  as  possible,  they  should  certainly  be  unobserved 
by  an  incoming  boat,  especially  as  the  attention  of  those  in 
the  stern  would  be  directed  into  the  inlet.  Will,  you  order 
Mr.  Forster  and  one  of  the  other  midshipmen  to  go  with 
as  many  men  as  the  raft  will  carry,  and  build  such  a 
parapet.  They  had  better  take  one  of  the  rope-ladders  with 
them  and  fix  it  to  the  ledge  by  means  of  a  grapnel.  There 
is  plenty  of  building  material  among  the  rocks  that  have 
fallen  from  the  precipices  above.  I  must  leave  it  to  their 
ingenuity  to  make  it  as  natural  as  possible." 

When  they  returned  to  the  ship  the  first  lieutenant  called 
Forster  and  gave  him  the  captain's  orders. 

"You  can  take  young  Gilmore  with  you,"  he  said. 
"Your  object  will  be  to  make  it  as  natural  as  possible,  so 
as  to  look,  in  fact,  as  if  the  rocks  that  had  fallen  out 
behind  had  lodged  on  the  ledge.  The  height  is  not  very 
important,  for  if  a  boat  were  coming  along,  the  men 
would,  of  course,  lie  down  till  it  was  abreast  of  them,  and 


118  BY  CONDUCT  AND  COURAGE 

the  cannon  would  be  withdrawn  and  only  run  out  at  the 
last  moment." 

"Very  well,  sir,  I  will  do  my  best." 

The  raft  was  again  brought  into  requisition,  and  it  was 
found  that  it  could  carry  twelve  men.  Dimchurch  and 
nine  others  were  chosen,  and,  using  oars  as  paddles,  they 
slowly  made  their  way  down  to  the  spot. 

"It  will  be  a  difficult  job  to  make  anything  like  a  natu- 
ral wall  there,"  Forster  said. 

"Yes,"  Will  agreed,  "I  don't  see  how  it  is  to  be  managed 
at  all.  Of  course  we  could  pile  up  a  line  of  stones,  but  that 
would  not  look  in  the  least  natural.  If  we  could  get  up 
three  or  four  big  chunks  they  might  do  if  filled  in  with 
small  stones,  but  it  would  be  impossible  to  raise  great  blocks 
to  that  shelf." 

The  ladder  was  fixed  and  they  climbed  up  to  the  ledge. 
When  they  reached  it  they  found  that  it  was  very  rough 
and  uneven,  and  consequently  that  the  task  was  more 
difficult  than  it  had  seemed  from  below. 

"The  only  way  I  see,"  Forster  said,  "would  be  to  blast 
out  a  trench  six  feet  wide  and  one  foot  deep,  in  which  the 
men  could  lie  hidden.  The  question  is  whether  the  cap- 
tain will  not  be  afraid  that  the  blasting  might  draw 
attention  to  our  presence  here." 

"They  were  just  starting  for  the  top  of  the  hill  when  we 
came  away,"  Will  said,  "and  may  be  able  to  see  whether 
there  are  any  habitations  in  the  neighbourhood.  A  couple 
of  men  in  the  dug-out  would  be  able  to  bring  us  news 
of  any  craft  in  sight.  I  certainly  don't  see  any  other 
way." 

When  Forster  made  his  report  the  captain  said : 


A  NARROW  ESCAPE  119 

*CI  believe  it  will  be  the  best  plan.  At  the  top  of  the 
hill  we  could  see  nothing  but  forests,  for  the  most  part 
levelled;  we  could  make  out  no  sign  of  smoke  anywhere. 
The  operation  of  blasting  can  be  done  with  comparatively 
small  charges,  and  occurring  as  it  does  at  the  foot  of  a 
gorge  like  that,  the  sound  would  hardly  spread  much  over 
the  surrounding  country,  and  we  could,  of  course,  take 
care  that  there  was  no  ship  in  sight  when  we  fired  the 
charges. 

"Well,  you  can  begin  to-morrow.  I  believe  there  are 
some  blasting-tools  in  the  store.  Take  the  gunner  with 
you;  this  work  comes  within  his  province." 

On  the  following  morning  the  raft  went  off  again,  and 
at  midday  a  number  of  sharp  explosions  told  that  the 
work  was  begun.  In  the  evening  another  series  of  shots 
were  fired,  and  the  party  returned  with  the  news  that  the 
ground  had  been  broken  up  to  the  depth  of  two  feet  and  of 
ample  size  to  give  the  men  cover.  The  next  morning  the 
rocks  were  cleared  out,  and  a  seven-pounder  and  carriage, 
with  tackle  for  hoisting  it  up,  were  sent  over. 

In  the  afternoon  the  captain  went  in  the  dug-out  and 
inspected  the  work,  and  expressed  himself  as  thoroughly 
satisfied  with  it.  A  garrison  consisting  of  an  officer  and 
ten  men  was  then  placed  in  the  fort.  They  remained  there 
all  day  and  returned  to  the  ship  as  darkness  fell,  as  it 
was  thought  pretty  certain  that  no  one  would  try  to  explore 
the  inlet  during  the  night.  The  next  morning  another 
party  was  told  off  to  garrison  duty,  and  so  on,  no  man 
being  given  two  consecutive  days  in  the  fort. 

On  the  fourth  day  the  dug-out  returned  in  haste  to  the 
ship  from  its  post  at  the  mouth  of  the  gap,  and  reported 


120  BY  CONDUCT  AND  COUKAGE 

that  two  men-of-war  were  to  be  seen  in  the  distance  cruis- 
ing close  inshore.  Mr.  Farrance  landed,  and  with  difficulty 
made  his  way  up  the  hill  to  a  point  near  the  mouth  of  the 
opening,  which  commanded  a  view  over  the  sea.  From 
that  point  he  could  easily  see  the  hulls  of  the  ships  with 
his  telescope,  and  had  no  doubt  whatever  that  they  were 
the  former  antagonists  of  the  Furious.  After  watching 
for  some  time  he  made  out  four  little  black  specks  very 
close  to  the  shore.  He  examined  them  closely  and  then 
hurried  down  to  the  cove. 

"They  are  searching  the  coast  with  boats,"  he  reported, 
"as  I  feared  they  would." 

The  news  had  been  given  to  the  little  party  at  the  battery 
as  the  dug-out  came  in,  and  they  were  at  once  on  the  alert. 
The  carpenters,  who  after  the  departure  of  their  first  boat 
had  been  employed  in  building  a  large  gig  to  pull  twelve 
oars,  were  at  once  recalled  to  the  ship,  and  the  magazines 
were  opened  and  the  guns  loaded.  All  the  guns  from  the 
larboard  main  deck  had  been  brought  up  to  the  upper  deck 
and  portholes  made  for  them,  and  a  boom  of  trees  had 
been  built  from  the  bow  and  stern  of  the  ship  to  the  shore, 
so  as  to  prevent  any  craft  from  getting  inside  her.  Thus 
prepared,  the  captain  considered  that  he  was  fully  a  match 
for  any  two  ships  of  his  own  size,  but  he  knew,  nevertheless, 
that,  even  if  he  beat  them  off,  he  might  be  exposed  to  attack 
from  a  still  larger  force  unless  assistance  arrived  from 
Jamaica. 

But  he  did  not  think  only  of  the  ship.  The  dug-out, 
which  had  brought  Mr.  Farrance  back  with  his  report,  was 
at  once  sent  off  with  orders  to  the  party  at  the  battery  that 
they  must,  if  possible,  sink  any  boat  or  boats  that  entered, 


A   NARROW   ESCAPE  121 

but  that  if  ships  of  war  came  in  they  must  not  try  to  work 
their  gun  after  the  first  shot,  as  if  they  did  so  they  would 
simply  be  swept  away  by  the  enemy's  fire.  That  one  shot 
was  to  be  aimed  at  the  enemy's  rudder ;  then  they  were  to 
lie  down,  and  if  they  had  not  disabled  the  ship  they  were  to 
keep  up  a  heavy  musketry  fire,  aimed  solely  against  her 
steersman.  It  was  hardly  likely  that  they  would  be  at- 
tacked by  boats,  as  the  enemy  would  be  fully  engaged  with 
the  Furious;  but  even  if  they  should,  the  Frenchmen  would 
have  no  means  of  climbing  the  eight  feet  of  precipitous 
rock. 

The  dug-out  went  to  and  from  the  entrance,  bringing 
back  news  of  the  progress  made  by  the  enemy's  boats. 
About  three  hours  from  the  time  when  they  had  first  been 
made  out  by  Mr.  Farrance  the  little  boat  reported  that 
they  were  only  two  or  three  hundred  yards  from  the  en- 
trance. On  board  the  ship  all  listened  anxiously,  for  a 
slight  bend  in  the  narrow  passage  prevented  them  from 
seeing  the  battery.  Presently  the  boom  of  a  cannon  was 
heard,  followed  by  a  cheer,  which  told  that  the  little  garri- 
son had  been  successful;  then  for  two  or  three  minutes 
there  was  a  rattle  of  musketry.  When  this  stopped,  the 
dug-out  at  once  went  out  to  the  fort,  and  returned  with  the 
news  that  two  boats  had  come  up  abreast,  that  one  of  them 
had  been  sunk  by  the  cannon  at  the  fort,  and  that  its  crew 
had  been  picked  up  by  the  other  boat,  which  had  rowed 
hastily  back,  suffering  a  good  deal  from  the  musketry  fire 
under  which  the  operation  was  carried  on. 

"That  is  act  one,"  the  captain  said ;  "now  we  shall  have 
to  look  for  act  two.  I  will  go  up  with  you,  Mr.  Farrance, 
to  the  place  whence  you  saw  them;  we  may  be  sure  that 


122  BY   CONDUCT   AND  COURAGE 

there  will  be  a  great  deal  of  signalling  and  consultation 
before  they  make  any  further  step." 

Accordingly  they  landed  and  went  up  to  the  look-out. 
The  two  vessels  were  lying  close  to  each  other  with  their 
sails  aback.  The  more  fortunate  of  the  two  boats  which 
had  attempted  to  explore  the  passage  had  just  returned  to 
them  with  its  load  of  wounded  and  the  survivors  of  its 
late  companion,  and  boats  were  passing  to  and  fro  between 
the  two  ships. 

"It  is  an  awkward  question  for  them  to  decide/'  the  cap- 
tain said.  "Of  course  they  know  well  enough  that  a  ship 
must  be  in  here,  the  gun  shows  them  that,  but  they  cannot 
tell  that  we  are  capable  of  making  any  defence  beyond  the 
single  gun  battery  on  the  ledge." 

It  was  an  hour  before  there  was  any  change  in  the  posi- 
tion, but  at  the  end  of  that  time  the  sails  were  filled  and  the 
two  vessels  headed  for  the  mouth  of  the  inlet.  They  had 
evidently  concluded  that  the  English  ship  was  lying  there 
disabled.  The  two  officers  hurried  back  to  the  Furious, 
and  gave  orders  to  prepare  for  the  attack.  The  men  at 
once  stood  to  their  posts.  Presently  the  gun  of  the  fort 
boomed  out  again,  and  by  the  cheering  that  followed  the 
sound  it  was  evident  that  the  shot  had  taken  effect  and 
smashed  the  rudder  of  one  of  the  French  ships.  Several 
guns  were  fired  in  reply,  but  a  minute  later  the  bowsprit 
of  the  leading  ship  came  into  view.  The  men  waited  until 
they  could  see  the  whole  vessel,  then  a  crashing  broadside 
from  every  gun  on  board  the  Furious  was  poured  into  her 
bow. 

The  effect  was  tremendous ;  a  hole  ten  or  twelve  feet  wide 
was  torn  in  her  bow,  and  the  ship  was  swept  from  end  to 


A   NARROW  ESCAPE  123 

end  by  balls  and  splinters,  and  the  shrieks  and  groans  that 
arose  from  her  told  that  the  execution  was  heavy.  It  was 
evident  that  the  battle  was  already  half-won  as  far  as  she 
was  concerned.  There  was  not  room  enough  in  the  little 
inlet  for  her  to  manoeuvre  in  the  light  wind  so  as  to  bring 
her  broadside  to  bear  on  the  Furious,  and  another  crashing 
broadside  from  the  latter  vessel  completed  her  discom- 
fiture. The  other  vessel  now  came  up  by  her  side,  but 
she  had  been  disabled  by  the  fort,  and  her  helm  would  not 
act.  Her  captain  at  once  lowered  her  boats  and  tried  to 
get  her  head  round,  but  these  were  smashed  up  by  the  fire 
of  the  Furious,  and  the  two  vessels  lay  together  side  by 
side,  helpless  to  reply  in  an  efficient  way  to  the  incessant 
fire  kept  up  upon  them.  The  Frenchmen  did  all  that  was 
possible  for  brave  men  to  do  in  the  circumstances,  but  their 
position  was  hopeless,  and  after  suffering  terribly  for  ten 
minutes,  one  after  the  other  hauled  down  their  flag. 

A  tremendous  burst  of  cheering  broke  from  the  Furious. 
She  had  lost  but  two  men  killed  and  four  or  five  wounded 
by  the  bullets  of  the  French  topmen.  She  had  also  been 
struck  twice  by  balls  from  the  bow-chaser  of  the  second 
ship;  but  this  was  the  extent  of  her  damage,  while  the 
loss  of  life  on  board  the  French  frigates  had  been  frightful. 
Some  sixty  men  had  been  killed  and  eighty  wounded  on 
the  first  ship,  while  thirty  were  killed  and  still  more 
wounded  in  the  boats  of  the  second  vessel. 

Captain  Harker  went  on  board  the  captures  to  receive 
the  swords  of  their  commanders. 

"You  have  done  your  best,  gentlemen,"  he  said ;  "no  one 
in  the  circumstances  could  have  done  more.  Had  there 
been  ten  of  you  instead  of  two  the  result  must  have  been 


124  BY   CONDUCT   AND   COUKAGE 

the  same.  If  your  boats  had  got  in  and  seen  the  situation 
you  would  have  understood  that  the  position  was  an  im- 
possible one.  There  was  no  room  in  here  for  manoeuvring, 
and  even  had  one  of  you  not  been  damaged  by  the  shot 
from  that  little  battery  of  ours,  your  position  would  have 
been  practically  unchanged,  and  you  could  not  possibly 
have  brought  your  broadsides  to  bear  upon  us." 

The  French  captains,  who  were  much  mortified  by  the 
disaster,  bowed  silently. 

"It  is  the  fortune  of  war,  sir,"  one  of  them  said,  "and 
certainly  we  could  not  have  anticipated  that  you  would 
be  so  wonderfully  placed  for  defence.  I  agree  with  you 
that  our  case  was  hopeless  from  the  first,  and  I  compliment 
you  upon  your  dispositions,  which  were  certainly  admi- 
rable." 

"You  and  your  officers  will  be  perfectly  at  liberty,"  the 
captain  said ;  "your  crews  must  be  placed  in  partial  confine- 
ment, but  a  third  of  them  can  always  be  on  deck.  My  sur- 
geon has  come  on  board  with  me,  and  will  at  once  assist 
yours  in  attending  to  your  wounded." 

A  considerable  portion  of  the  crew  of  the  Furious  were 
at  once  put  on  board  the  French  frigate  Eclaire,  and  set  to 
work  to  dismantle  her.  The  masts,  spars,  and  rigging  were 
transferred  to  the  Furious  and  erected  in  place  of  her  own 
shattered  stumps,  which  were  thrown  overboard.  Thus, 
after  four  days  of  the  hardest  work  for  all,  the  Furious  was 
again  placed  in  fighting  trim. 

Preparations  were  immediately  made  for  sailing.  The 
Furious  led  the  way,  towing  behind  her  the  dismantled  hull 
in  which  the  whole  of  the  prisoners  were  carried.  A  prize 
crew  of  sixty  were  placed  on  board  the  Actif. 


A   NARROW   ESCAPE  125 

When  they  were  about  half-way  to  Jamaica  a  squadron 
of  three  vessels  were  sighted.  Preparations  were  made  to 
throw  off  the  Eclaire  if  the  ships  proved  to  be  hostile,  but 
before  long  it  was  evident  that  they  were  English.  They 
approached  rapidly,  and  when  they  rounded-to  near  the 
Furious  the  crews  manned  the  yards  and  greeted  her  with 
tremendous  cheers.  The  officer  in  command  was  at  once 
rowed  to  the  Furious.  As  the  boat  neared  the  ship  his 
friends  recognized  Mr.  Peters  and  Eobson  sitting  in  the 
stern. 

"What  miracle  is  this,  Captain  Barker?"  the  officer  cried 
as  he  came  on  deck.  "Your  lieutenant  brought  us  news 
that  you  were  dismasted  and  lying  helpless  in  some  little 
inlet,  and  here  you  are  with  what  I  can  see  is  a  French 
equipment  and  a  couple  of  prizes!  I  can  almost  accuse 
you  of  having  brought  us  here  on  a  fool's  errand." 

"It  must  have  that  appearance  to  you;  but  the  facts  of 
the  case  are  simple;"  and  he  told  the  story  of  the  fight. 
"The  battle  was  practically  over  when  the  first  shot  was 
fired,"  he  said.  "The  two  French  ships  lost  upwards  of 
seventy  killed  and  over  a  hundred  wounded,  while  we  had 
only  four  men  killed  and  two  wounded.  If  the  place  had 
been  designed  by  nature  specially  for  defence  it  could  not 
have  been  better  adapted  for  us." 

"I  see  that,"  Captain  Ingham  said;  "but  you  made  the 
most  of  the  advantages.  Your  plan  of  laying  her  broadside 
to  the  entrance,  getting  all  your  cannon  on  one  side,  and 
building  a  boom  to  prevent  any  vessel  from  getting  behind 
you,  was  most  excellent.  Well,  it  is  a  splendid  victory,  the 
more  so  as  it  has  been  won  with  so  little  loss.  The  French 
certainly  showed  but  little  discretion  in  thus  running  into 


126  BY  CONDUCT  AND  COUKAGE 

the  trap  you  had  prepared  for  them.  Of  course  they  could 
not  tell  what  to  expect,  but  at  least,  whatever  it  might  have 
cost  them,  they  ought  to  have  sent  a  strong  boat  division 
in  to  reconnoitre.  No  English  captain  would  have  risked 
his  vessel  in  such  a  way." 

With  very  little  delay  the  voyage  to  Jamaica  was  contin- 
ued. Two  of  the  relief  party  went  straight  on,  the  other 
remained  in  with  the  Furious  in  case  she  should  fall  in 
with  a  French  fleet.  When  the  little  squadron  entered 
Port  Eoyal  they  received  an  enthusiastic  welcome  from 
the  ships  on  the  station.  Both  prizes  were  bought  into  the 
service  and  handed  over  to  the  dockyard  for  a  thorough 
refit.  Their  names  were  changed,  the  Eclaire  being  re- 
christened  the  Sylph,  the  Actif  becoming  the  Hawke. 
Lieutenant  Farrance  was  promoted  to  the  rank  of  captain, 
and  given  the  command  of  the  latter  vessel,  and  some  of 
the  survivors  of  a  ship  that  had  a  fortnight  before  been 
lost  on  a  dangerous  reef  were  told  off  to  her.  He  was,  ac- 
cording to  rule,  permitted  to  take  a  boat's  crew  and  a  mid- 
shipman with  him  from  his  old  ship,  and  he  selected  Will 
Gilmore,  and,  among  the  men,  Dimchurch  and  Tom 
Stevens. 

The  planters  of  Jamaica  were  celebrated  for  their  hos- 
pitality, and  the  officers  received  many  invitations. 

"You  are  quite  at  liberty  to  accept  any  of  them  you 
like,"  Captain  Farrance  said  to  Will.  "Till  the  vessel  gets 
out  of  the  hands  of  the  dockyard  men  there  is  nothing 
whatever  for  you  to  do.  But  I  may  tell  you  that  there  is 
a  good  deal  of  unrest  in  the  island  among  the  slaves.  The 
doings  of  the  French  revolutionists,  and  the  excitement 
they  have  caused  by  becoming  the  patrons  of  the  mulattoes 


A   NARROW   ESCAPE  127 

has,  as  might  be  expected,  spread  here,  and  it  is  greatly 
feared  that  trouble  may  come  of  it.  Of  course  the  planters 
generally  pooh-pooh  the  idea,  but  it  is  not  to  be  despised, 
and  a  few  of  them  have  already  left  their  plantations  and 
come  down  here.  I  don't  say  that  you  should  not  accept 
any  invitation  if  you  like,  but  if  an  outbreak  takes  place 
suddenly  I  fancy  very  few  of  the  planters  will  get  down 
safely.  I  mean,  of  course,  if  there  is  a  general  rising,  which 
I  hope  will  not  be  the  case.  Xegroes  are  a  good  deal  like 
other  people.  Where  they  are  well  treated  they  are  quite 
content  to  go  on  as  they  are.  Where  they  are  badly  treated 
they  are  apt  to  try  and  better  themselves.  Still,  that  is 
not  always  the  case.  There  is  no  doubt  that  altogether  the 
French  planters  of  San  Domingo  are  much  gentler  in 
their  treatment  of  their  slaves  than  our  people  are  here. 
Large  numbers  of  them  are  of  good  old  French  families, 
and  look  on  their  slaves  rather  as  children  to  be  ruled  by 
kindness  than  as  beasts  of  burden,  as  there  is  no  doubt 
some,  not  many,  I  hope,  but  certainly  some  of  the  English 
planters  do.  With  San  Domingo  in  the  throes  of  a  slave 
revolution,  therefore,  it  will  not  be  surprising  if  the  move- 
ment communicates  itself  to  the  slaves  here.  I  know  that 
the  admiral  thinks  it  prudent  to  keep  an  extra  ship  of 
war  on  the  station  so  as  to  be  prepared  for  any  emer- 
gency." 

''Very  well,  sir.  Then  I  will  not  accept  invitations  for 
overnight." 

"I  don't  say  that,  Mr.  Gilmore.  In  nine  cases  out  of  ten 
I  should  say  it  could  be  done  without  danger;  for  if  a  re- 
bellion breaks  out  it  will  not  at  first  be  general,  but  will 
begin  at  some  of  the  most  hardly-managed  plantations,  and 


128  BY  CONDUCT  AND  COUKAGE 

there  will  be  plenty  of  time  to  return  to  town  before  it 
spreads." 

As  Will  had  no  desire  to  mix  himself  up  in  a  slave  insur- 
rection, he  declined  all  invitations  to  go  out  to  houses  be- 
yond a  distance  whence  he  could  drive  back  in  the  evening. 
At  all  the  houses  he  visited  he  was  struck  by  the  apparently 
good  relations  between  masters  and  slaves.  The  planters 
were  almost  aggrieved  when  he  insisted  on  leaving  them  in 
the  evening,  but  he  had  the  excuse  that  he  was  a  sort  of 
aide-de-camp  to  Captain  Far  ranee,  and  was  bound  to  be 
there  the  first  thing  in  the  morning  to  receive  any  orders 
that  he  might  have  to  give.  He  generally  hired  a  gig  and 
drove  over  early  so  as  to  have  a  long  day  there,  and  always 
took  either  Dimchurch  or  Tom  with  him.  He  enjoyed  him- 
self very  much,  but  was  not  sorry  when  the  repairs  on  the 
HawJce  were  completed. 

As  the  admiral  was  anxious  for  her  to  be  away,  some  men 
were  drafted  from  the  other  ships;  others  were  recruited 
from  the  crews  of  the  merchantmen  in  the  port  by  Dim- 
church,  who  spoke  very  highly  of  the  life  on  board  a  man- 
of-war,  and  of  the  good  qualities  of  the  Hawke's  com- 
mander. The  complement  was  completed  by  a  draft  of 
fresh  hands  from  England,  brought  out  to  make  good  the 
losses  of  the  various  ships  on  the  station.  Within  three 
weeks,  therefore,  of  her  leaving  the  dockyard  the  Hawke 
sailed  to  join  the  expedition  under  Sir  John  Laforey  and 
General  Cuyler,  to  capture  the  island  of  Tobago,  where,  on 
14th  April,  1793,  some  troops  were  landed.  The  French 
governor  was  summoned  to  surrender,  but  refused,  so  the 
works  were  attacked  and  carried  after  a  spirited  resistance. 
But  the  attempt  to  capture  St.  Pierre  in  the  island  of  Mar- 


AN   INDEPENDENT   COMMAND  129 

tinique  was  not  equally  successful.  The  French  defended 
the  place  so  desperately  that  the  troops  were  re-embarked 
with  considerable  loss. 


CHAPTER  VII 

AN   INDEPENDENT   COMMAND 

WILL  was  hit  by  a  musket-ball  in  the  last  engage- 
ment that  took  place,  and  was  sent  back  with  a 
batch  of  wounded  to  Port  Eoyal.  Three  of  the  fingers 
of  his  left  hand  had  been  carried  away,  but  he  bore  the 
loss  with  equanimity,  as  it  would  not  compel  him  to 
leave  the  service.  Tom,  who  went  with  him  as  his  servant, 
fretted  a  good  deal  more  over  it  than  he  himself,  and  was 
often  loud  in  his  lamentations. 

"It  would  not  have  made  any  difference  if  it  had  been 
me,"  he  said,  "but  it  is  awfully  hard  on  you." 

"What  ridiculous  nonsense,  Tom !"  Will  said  quite 
angrily,  after  one  of  these  outbursts.  "If  it  had  been  you 
it  would  have  been  really  serious,  for  though  an  officer 
can  get  on  very  well  without  some  of  his  fingers  a  sailor 
would  be  useless  and  would  be  turned  adrift  with  some 
trifling  pension.  I  shall  do  very  well.  I  have  been  men- 
tioned in  despatches  and  I  am  certain  to  get  my  step  as 
soon  as  I  have  served  long  enough  to  pass,  so  after  a  time 
I  shall  not  miss  them  at  all." 

Tom  was  silenced,  though  not  convinced.  The  wound 
healed  rapidly,  thanks  to  Will's  abstemious  habits,  and  in 
six  weeks  after  entering  the  hospital  he  was  discharged  as 


130  BY  CONDUCT  AND  COUEAGE 

fit  for  duty.  The  Hawke  was  not  in  harbour,  so  he  went 
to  lELficThotel.  On  the  following  day  he  received  an  order 
to  call  upon  the  admiral.  When  he  did  so  that  officer  re- 
ceived him  very  kindly.  "I  am  sorry,"  he  said,  "to  learn 
that  you  have  lost  some  fingers,  Mr.  Gilmore." 

"I  hope  it  will  not  interfere  much  with  my  efficiency, 
sir?" 

"I  think  not,"  the  admiral  said;  "I  have  received  the 
surgeon's  report  this  morning.  In  it  he  stated  that  your 
wound  had  from  the  first  gone  on  most  favourably,  and 
that  they  had  really  kept  you  in  hospital  a  fortnight 
longer  than  was  absolutely  necessary,  lest  in  your  anxiety 
to  rejoin  you  might  do  yourself  harm.  Three  days  since 
a  cutter  of  about  a  hundred  tons  was  sent  in  by  the  Sylph. 
She  was  a  pirate,  and,  like  all  vessels  of  that  class,  very 
fast,  and  would  most  likely  have  outsailed  the  Sylph  had 
she  not  caught  her  up  a  creek.  I  have  purchased  her  for 
the  government  service,  and  I  propose  to  place  you  in 
command." 

Will  gave  a  start  of  surprise.  At  his  age  he  could  not 
have  expected  for  a  moment  to  be  given  an  independent 
command. 

"I  have  noted  your  behaviour  here,  and  have  look&d 
through  the  records  of  your  service  since  you  joined,  and 
I  am  convinced  that  you  will  do  credit  to  the  post.  I  shall 
give  you  a  midshipman  junior  to  yourself  from  the  Thetis, 
and  you  will  have  forty  hands  before  the  mast.  The 
HawJce  is  expected  in  in  a  few  days,  so  you  can  pick  five 
men  from  her.  The  rest  I  will  make  up  from  the  other 
ships.  The  cutter  will  be  furnished  with  four  twelve-pound- 
ers, and  the  long  sixteen  as  a  bow  gun,  which  she  had  when 


AN   INDEPENDENT   COMMAND  131 

she  was  captured.  Your  duty  will  be  to  police  the  coasts 
and  to  overhaul  as  many  craft  as  you  may  find  commit- 
ting depredations,,  of  course  avoiding  a  combat  with  adver- 
saries too  strong  for  you/' 

"I  thank  you  most  heartily,  sir,,  for  selecting  me  for 
this  service,  and  will  do  my  best  to  merit  your  kind- 
ness." 

"That  is  all  right,  Mr.  Gilmore.  I  have  acted,  as  I  be- 
lieve, for  the  good  of  the  service,  and  to  some  extent  as 
an  incentive  to  other  young  officers  to  use  their  wits/' 

Will  went  out  with  his  head  in  a  whirl.  He  could 
hardly  have  hoped,  within  a  year  of  his  term  of  service  as 
a  midshipman,  to  obtain  a  separate  command,  and  he 
could  have  shouted  with  joy  at  this  altogether  unex- 
pected promotion.  The  first  thing  he  did  was  to  take  a 
boat  and  row  off  in  it  to  his  new  command.  She  was 
a  handsome  boat,  evidently  designed  to  be  fast  and 
weatherly. 

"These  beggars  know  how  to  build  boats  much  better 
than  how  to  fight  them,"  he  said,  when  he  had  examined 
her.  "Assuredly  in  anything  like  a  light  wind  she  would 
run  away  from  the  Sylph.  The  admiral  was  right  when 
he  said  that  it  was  only  by  chance  that  she  was  caught, 
I  hope  the  fellow  who  is  going  with  me  is  a  good  sort. 
It  would  be  awkward  if  we  did  not  pull  well  together. 
At  any  rate,  as  the  admiral  seems  to  have  picked  him  out 
for  the  service,  he  must  be  worth  his  salt.  Of  course  I 
shall  have  Dimchurch  as  my  boatswain;  he  will  take  one 
watch  and  the  youngster  the  other,  ft  will  be  hard  if  we 
don't  catch  something." 

Having  rowed  round  the  cutter  two  or  three  times  he 


132  BY   CONDUCT   AND   COURAGE 

returned  to  the  shore.  As  the  little  vessel  had  been  taken 
by  surprise,  and  had  not  been  able  to  offer  any  resistance 
to  a  craft  so  much  more  powerful  than  herself,  she  was 
uninjured,  and  was  in  a  fit  state  to  be  immediately  recom- 
missioned.  She  was  called  U Agile,  a  name  which  Will 
thought  very  suitable  for  her. 

"Forty  men  will  be  none  too  strong  for  her/'  he  said, 
"for  we  shall  have  to  work  two  guns  on  each  side  and 
that  long  one  in  the  bow."  He  went  to  bed  that  night  and 
dreamt  of  fierce  fights  and  many  captures,  and  laughed 
at  himself  when  he  awoke.  "Still,"  he  said,  "I  shall  al- 
ways be  able  to  tackle  any  craft  of  our  own  size  and 
carrying  anything  like  our  number  of  men." 

Three  days  later  the  HawTce  came  in.  Will  at  once 
rowed  off  to  her  and  had  a  chat  with  his  friends.  When 
he  mentioned  his  new  command  his  news  was  at  first  re- 
ceived with  absolute  incredulity,  but  when  at  last  his  mess- 
mates came  to  understand  that  he  was  not  joking,  he  was 
heartily  congratulated  on  his  good  fortune.  Afterwards 
he  was  not  a  little  chaffed  on  the  tremendous  deeds  he  and 
his  craft  were  going  to  perform.  When  at  last  they  became 
serious,  Latham,  the  master's  mate,  remarked :  "But  what 
is  your  new  command  like?" 

"She  is  a  cutter  of  about  a  hundred  tons,  carrying  four 
twelve-pounders,  and  a  sixteen-pounder  long  pivot  gun  at 
the  bow.  I  am  to  have  forty  men  and  a  young  midship- 
man from  the  Thetis.7' 

"A  very  tidy  little  craft,  I  should  say,  Gilmore,  and 
you  will  probably  get  a  good  deal  more  fun  out  of  her 
than  from  a  frigate  or  line-of-battle  ship.  You  will  want 
a  good  boatswain  to  take  charge  of  one  of  the  watches." 


AN   INDEPENDENT   COMMAND  133 

"I  shall  have  one,,  for  I  am  to  take  five  men  out  of  the 
Hawlce,  and  you  may  be  sure  I  shall  take  Dimchurch  as 
boatswain." 

"You  could  not  have  a  better  man/'  Latham  said;  "he 
is  certainly  one  of  the  smartest  fellows  on  board  the  ship. 
He  is  very  popular  with  all  the  men,  and  is  full  of  life 
and  go,  and  always  the  first  to  set  an  example  when  there 
is  any  work  to  be  done.  I  suppose  we  shall  also  lose  the 
services  of  that  boy  Tom  ?" 

"I  think  so,"  Will  laughed;  "I  should  be  quite  lost  with- 
out so  faithful  a  hand,  and  indeed,  though  he  still  ranks 
as  a  boy,  he  is  a  big  powerful  fellow,  and  a  match  for  many 
an  A.  B.  at  hauling  a  rope  or  pulling  an  oar." 

"You  are  right.  He  is  as  big  round  the  chest  as  many 
of  the  men,  and  though  perhaps  not  so  active,  quite  as 
powerful.  When  will  you  hoist  your  pendant  ?" 

"I  have  to  get  the  crew  together  yet.  I  am  to  have 
small  drafts  from  several  of  the  ships,  and  it  may  be  a 
few  days  before  they  can  be  collected," 

The  next  morning  the  Thetis  arrived,  and  the  young 
midshipman  came  on  shore  an  hour  later  to  report  him- 
self to  Will.  He  looked  surprised  for  a  moment  at  the 
age  of  his  new  commander,  but  gravely  reported  himself 
for  service.  Will  was  pleased  with  his  appearance.  He 
was  a  merry-faced  boy,  but  with  a  look  on  his  face  which 
indicated  pluck  and  determination. 

"You  are  surprised  at  my  age,  no  doubt,  Harman," 
Will  said,  "and  I  cannot  be  more  than  a  year  older  than 
yourself,  but  I  have  been  fortunate  enough  to  be  twice 
mentioned  in  despatches,  indeed  have  had  wonderful  luck. 
I  feel  sure  that  we  shall  get  on  well  together,  and  I  hope 


134  BY   CONDUCT   AND  COURAGE 

both  do  well.  We  are  to  act  as  police  on  the  coast  of 
Cuba;  it  swarms  with  pirates,  and  it  will  be  hard  if  we 
don't  fall  in  with  some  of  them.  You  will,  of  course, 
keep  one  watch,  and  the  boatswain,  who  is  a  thoroughly 
good  man,  will  take  the  other.  I  need  hardly  say  that 
we  shall  have  no  nonsense  about  commanding  officer.  Ex- 
cept when  on  duty,  I  hope  we  shall  be  good  chums,  which 
means,  of  course,  that  when  an  enemy  is  in  sight  or  the 
weather  is  dirty  I  must  be  in  absolute  command." 

"Thank  you,  sir  I"  Harman  said.  "These  are  good 
terms,  and  I  promise  to  obey  your  commands  as  readily 
as  if  you  were  old  enough  to  be  my  father/' 

"That  is  good.  Now  I  have  dinner  ordered  and  I  hope 
you  will  share  it  with  me.  We  can  then  talk  over  matters 
comfortably." 

Before  dinner  was  over,  the  lad  was  more  than  satisfied 
with  his  new  chief,  and  felt  sure  that  at  any  rate  the  cruise 
would  be  a  pleasant  one.  Just  as  they  had  finished,  Dim- 
church  and  Tom  came  in  to  see  Will.  On  finding  that  he 
was  engaged  they  would  have  withdrawn,  but  Will  called 
them  in.  "Sit  down  and  join  Mr.  Harman  and  myself  in 
a  chat.  This,  Harman,  is  Bob  Dimchurch,  who  is  going 
to  be  our  boatswain,  and  Tom  Stevens,  whom  I  have 
known  since  we  were  five  years  old,  and  although  I  have 
gone  over  his  head  we  are  as  good  friends  as  ever.  Dim- 
church  took  me  under  his  wing  when  I  first  joined,  and 
since  then  has  fought  by  my  side  on  several  occasions." 

"We  came  to  wish  you  success  in  your  new  command, 
sir,"  Dimchurch  said,  "and  should  not  have  intruded  had 
we  known  that  you  were  not  alone." 

"It  is  no  intrusion  at  all,  Dimchurch.    There  is  no  man 


AN   INDEPENDENT   COMMAND  135 

whose  congratulations  can  be  more  pleasing  to  me.  Have 
you  seen  the  cutter?" 

"Yes,  sir.  Tom  and  I  noticed  what  a  smart,  likely 
craft  she  was  when  we  came  in  and  dropped  anchor.  I 
little  thought  that  it  was  you  who  had  command  of  her, 
but  I  have  no  fear  but  that  you  will  do  her  full  justice.  I 
could  hardly  believe  my  ears  when  I  was  told  this  after- 
noon, and  Tom  was  ready  to  jump  out  of  his  clothes 
with  joy." 

"It  is  wonderfully  good  fortune,  Dimchurch;  I  can 
hardly  believe  it  myself  yet." 

"I  am  sure  you  deserve  it,  sir.  It  was  you  who  recap- 
tured that  prize  in  the  Mediterranean;  it  was  you  who 
saved  the  first  lieutenant's  life;  and  it  was  you  who  sug- 
gested a  plan  by  which  we  accounted  for  those  three 
pirates.  If  that  didn't  deserve  promotion,  it  is  hard  to 
say  what  would." 

"I  owe  no  small  portion  of  it,  Dimchurch,  to  the  fact 
that  I  was  able  to  take  an  observation  so  soon  after  I  had 
joined,  and  that  was  due  to  the  kindness  of  my  good  friend 
Miss  Warden." 

ecYes,  sir,  that  goes  for  something,  no  doubt,  but  there 
is  a  good  deal  more  than  that  in  it."  After  some  further 
talk  both  of  the  past  and  the  future,  Dimchurch  sprang 
to  his  feet,  saying:  "Well,  sir,  I  wish  you  success.  But 
it  is  time  we  were  off.  I  am  told  we  are  to  remove  our 
duds  on  board  the  new  craft  to-morrow." 

"Yes,  we  are  going  to  start  manning  her  at  once;  I 
shall  be  on  board  with  Mr.  Harman  directly  after  break- 
fast. I  have  not  put  foot  upon  her  yet,  and  am  most 
anxious  to  do  so." 


136  BY  CONDUCT  AND  COUKAGE 

The  craft  fully  answered  Will's  expectations.  Her 
after-accommodation  was  exceedingly  good;  the  cabin  was 
handsomely  fitted,,  and  there  were  two  state-rooms. 

"We  shall  be  in  clover  here,  Harman,"  he  said;  "no 
one  could  wish  for  a  better  command.  I  must  set  to  work 
to  get  stores  shipped  at  once.  How  many  of  the  crew  are 
on  board  ?" 

"Twenty-three,  sir,  and  I  believe  we  shall  have  our  full 
complement  before  night." 

As  they  spoke  a  boat  laden  with  provisions  came  along- 
side, and  all  hands  were  at  once  engaged  transferring  her 
load  to  the  cutter.  In  the  course  of  the  forenoon  the  re- 
mainder of  the  men  came  on  board  in  twos  and  threes. 
After  dinner  Will  called  the  crew  together  and  read  out 
his  commission.  Then  he  made  his  maiden  speech. 

"My  lads/7  he  said,  "I  wish  this  to  be  a  comfortable 
ship,  and  I  will  do  my  best  to  make  it  so.  I  shall  expect 
the  ready  obedience  of  all;  and  you  may  be  assured  that 
if  possible  I  will  put  you  in  the  way  of  gaining  prize- 
money.  There  are  plenty  of  prizes  to  be  taken,  and  I  hope 
confidently  that  many  of  them  will  fall  to  our  share." 
The  men  gave  three  cheers,  and  Will  added :  "I  will  order 
an  extra  supply  of  grog  to  be  served  out  this  evening." 

On  the  following  day  L' Agile  dipped  her  ensign  to  the 
admiral  and  set  off  on  her  voyage.  Will  was  well  pleased 
with  the  smartness  the  crew  displayed  in  getting  under 
weigh,  and  more  than  satisfied  with  the  pace  at  which  she 
moved  through  the  water.  For  a  month  they  cruised  off 
the  coast  of  Cuba,  during  which  time  they  picked  up  eight 
small  prizes.  These  were  for  the  most  part  rowing-gal- 
leys carrying  one  large  lateen  sail.  None  of  them  were 


AN   INDEPENDENT   COMMAND  137 

sufficiently  strong  to  show  fight;  they  were  not  intended 
to  attack  merchantmen,  but  preyed  upon  native  craft,  and 
were  manned  by  from  ten  to  twenty  desperadoes.  Most 
of  them,  when  overhauled,  pretended  to  be  peaceful  fisher- 
men or  traders,  but  a  search  always  brought  to  light  con- 
cealed arms,  and  in  some  cases  captured  goods.  The  boats 
were  burned,  and  their  crews,  mostly  mulattoes,  with  a 
sprinkling  of  negroes — rascals  whose  countenances  were 
sufficiently  villainous  to  justify  their  being  hanged  without 
trial, — were  put  ashore ;  for  the  admiral  had  given  instruc- 
tions to  Will  not  to  burden  himself  with  prisoners,  who 
would  have  to  be  closely  guarded,  and  would  therefore 
weaken  his  crew,  and,  if  brought  to  Port  Eoyal,  would 
take  up  prison  accommodation. 

At  last  one  day  a  schooner  rather  bigger  than  them- 
selves was  sighted.  Her  appearance  was  rakish,  and  there 
was  little  doubt  as  to  her  character.  All  sail  was  at  once 
crowded  on  L' Agile.  The  schooner  was  nearly  as  fast  as 
she  was,  and  at  the  end  of  a  six  hours'  chase  she  was  still 
two  miles  ahead.  Suddenly  she  headed  for  the  shore  and 
disappeared  among  the  trees.  U  Agile  proceeded  on  her 
course  until  opposite  the  mouth  of  the  inlet  which  the 
pirate  had  entered.  It  was  getting  dark,  and  Will  decided 
to  wait  until  morning,  and  then  to  send  a  boat  in  to  recon- 
noitre. 

"I  have  not  forgotten,"  he  said  to  Harman,  "the  way 
in  which  those  two  French  frigates  I  have  told  you  of  ran 
into  a  trap,  and  I  don't  mean  to  be  caught  so  if  I  can 
help  it." 

U Agile  remained  hove  to  during  the  night,  and  in  the 
morning  lowered  a  boat,  with  four  hands,  commanded  by 


138  BY   CONDUCT   AND   COUEAGE 

Dimchurch,  who  was  ordered  to  row  in  until  he  ohtained 
a  fair  view  of  the  enemy,  and  observe  as  far  as  possible 
what  preparation  had  been  made  for  defence.  He  was 
absent  for  half  an  hour,  and  then  returned,  saying  that 
the  schooner  was  lying  anchored  with  her  sails  stowed  at 
the  far  end  of  the  inlet,  which  was  about  half  a  mile  long 
and  nearly  as  wide,  with  her  broadside  bearing  on  the 
entrance. 

"If  it  is  as  large  as  that/'  Will  said,  "there  will  be 
plenty  of  room  for  us  to  manoeuvre.  Did  you  make  out 
what  number  of  guns  she  carried?" 

"Yes,  sir,  she  mounted  four  guns  on  each  side ;  I  should 
say  they  were  for  the  most  part  ten-pounders." 

"I  think  we  can  reckon  upon  taking  her.  Our  guns  are 
of  heavier  metal  than  hers,  and  the  long-torn  will  make 
up  for  our  deficiency  in  numbers." 

L' Agile  was  put  under  as  easy  sail  as  would  suffice  to 
give  her  manoeuvring  powers,  and  then  headed  for  the 
mouth  of  the  inlet.  She  was  half-way  through  when  sud- 
denly two  hidden  batteries,  each  mounting  three  guns, 
opened  upon  her. 

"Drop  the  anchor  at  once,"  Will  shouted;  "we  will  fin- 
ish these  gentlemen  before  we  go  farther."  The  schooner 
at  the  same  time  opened  fire,  but  at  half  a  mile  range  her 
guns  did  not  inflict  much  damage  upon  the  cutter.  Ly- 
ing between  the  two  batteries  she  engaged  them  both,  her 
broadside  guns  firing  with  grape,  while  the  long-torn  sent 
a  shot  into  each  alternately.  In  a  quarter  of  an  hour 
their  fire  was  silenced,  three  of  the  guns  were  dismounted, 
and  the  men  who  had  been  working  them  fled  precipitately. 

"Take  a   boat   and   spike   the   remaining  guns,   Dim- 


AN   INDEPENDENT   COMMAND  139 

church,"  Will  said;  "I  don't  want  any  more  bother  with 
them." 

In  a  few  minutes  Dimchurch  returned  to  the  cutter, 
having  accomplished  his  mission.  The  anchor  was  then 
got  up  again,  and  she  proceeded  to  attack  the  schooner. 
Lf Agile's  casualties  had  been  trifling;  only  one  had  been 
killed  and  three  wounded,  all  of  them  slightly.  As  she 
sailed  up  the  inlet  she  replied  with  her  pivot-gun  to  the 
fire  of  the  enemy.  At  every  shot  the  splinters  were  seen  to 
fly  from  the  schooner's  side,  much  to  the  discomfiture  of 
the  pirate  gunners,  whose  aim  became  so  wild  that  scarcely 
a  shot  struck  L' Agile.  When  within  a  hundred  yards  of 
the  schooner  the  helm  was  put  down,  and  the  cutter  swept 
round  and  opened  fire  with  her  two  broadside  guns. 

The  shots  had  scarcely  rung  out  when  Harman  touched 
Will  on  the  shoulder.  "Look  there,  sir,"  he  said.  Will 
turned  and  saw  a  vessel  emerging  from  a  side  channel, 
which  was  so  closed  in  with  trees  that  it  had  been  unper- 
ceived  by  anybody  aboard  the  cutter.  Her  aim  was  evi- 
dently to  get  between  them  and  the  sea.  She  was  a  cutter 
of  about  the  same  size  as  U Agile,  but  carried  six  ten- 
pounders. 

"The  schooner  has  enticed  us  in  here,"  Will  said,  "there 
is  no  doubt  about  that,  and  now  there  is  nothing  to  do  but 
to  fight  it  out.  Take  her  head  round,"  he  said,  "we  will 
settle  it  with  the  cutter  first.  The  schooner  cannot  come 
to  her  assistance  for  some  minutes  as  she  has  all  her  sails 
furled." 

Accordingly  he  ranged  up  to  the  new-comer,  and  a 
furious  contest  ensued.  He  engaged  her  with  two  broad- 
side guns  and  the  long-torn,  and  at  the  same  time  kept 


140  BY    CONDUCT    AND   COUKAGE 

his  other  two  guns  playing  upon  the  schooner,  the  crew 
of  which  were  busy  getting  up  sail.  The  long-torn  was 
served  by  Dimchurch  himself,  and  every  shot  went  crash- 
ing through  the  side  of  the  pirate  cutter,  the  fire  of  the 
two  broadside  guns  being  almost  equally  effective. 

"Keep  it  up,  lads/'  Will  shouted;  "we  shall  finish  with 
her  before  the  other  can  come  up."  As  he  spoke  a  shot 
from  the  long-torn  struck  the  cutter's  mainmast,  which 
tottered  for  a  moment  and  then  fell  over  her  side  towards 
L' Agile,  and  the  sails  and  hamper  entirely  prevented  the 
crew  from  working  her  guns.  For  another  five  minutes 
the  fire  was  kept  up ;  then  the  crew  were  seen  to  be  leaping 
overboard,  and  presently  a  man  stood  up  and  shouted  that 
she  surrendered.  The  schooner  was  now  coming  up 
fast. 

"Don't  let  her  escape,"  Will  shouted;  "she  has  had 
enough  of  it,  and  is  trying  to  get  away.  Run  her  aboard  !" 
In  a  minute  the  two  vessels  crashed  together,  and  headed 
by  Will,  Harman,  and  Dimchurch,  L 'Agile's  crew  sprang 
on  board  the  schooner. 

The  pirate  crew  were  evidently  discouraged  by  the  fate 
of  their  consort  and  by  the  complete  failure  of  their  plan 
to  capture  U Agile.  The  captain,  a  gigantic  mulatto, 
fought  desperately,  as  did  two  or  three  of  his  principal 
men.  One  of  them  charged  at  Will  while  he  was  engaged 
with  another,  and  would  have  killed  him  had  not  Tom 
Stevens  sprung  forward  and  caught  the  blow  on  his  own 
cutlass.  The  sword  flew  from  the  man's  hand,  and  Tom 
at  once  cut  him  down.  Dimchurch  engaged  in  a  single- 
handed  contest  with  the  great  mulatto  captain.  Strong 
as  the  sailor  was  he  could  with  difficulty  parry  the  ruf- 


AN   INDEPENDENT   COMMAND  141 

fian's  blows,  but  skill  made  up  for  inequality  of  strength, 
and  after  a  few  exchanges  he  laid  the  man  low  with  a 
clever  thrust.  The  fall  of  their  leader  completed  the  dis- 
comfiture of  the  pirates,  most  of  whom  at  once  sprang 
overboard  and  made  for  the  shore,  those  who  remained 
being  cut  down  by  the  sailors. 

When  at  last  they  were  masters  of  the  ship  the  crew 
gave  three  lusty  cheers.  But  Will  did  not  permit  them 
to  waste  precious  time  in  rejoicing.  He  knew  that,  al- 
though they  had  accomplished  so  much,  there  was  still 
a  great  deal  to  be  done,  for  the  prizes  might  even  yet  be 
recaptured  before  they  got  them  out  to  sea.  Without  a 
moment's  delay,  therefore,  he  sent  a  boat  to  take  possession 
of  the  cutter.  The  sail  and  wreckage  were  cleared  away, 
and  the  boat  proceeded  to  tow  her  out  of  the  inlet.  In 
the  meantime  a  warp  was  taken  from  L9  Agile  to  the 
schooner,  the  sails  of  the  latter  were  lowered,  and  Will 
sailed  proudly  out  with  his  second  prize  in  tow.  Once 
fairly  at  sea  the  crew  began  to  repair  damages.  Five  men 
in  all  had  been  killed  and  eleven  were  wounded.  Several 
of  the  latter,  however,  were  able  to  lend  a  hand.  The  shot- 
holes  in  L' Agile  were  first  patched  with  pieces  of  plank, 
then  covered  with  canvas,  and  afterwards  given  a  coat  of 
paint.  Then  the  schooner  was  taken  in  hand,  and  when 
she  was  got  into  something  like  ship-shape  order  her  sails 
were  hoisted  again,  and  ten  men  under  Harman  placed  on 
board  to  work  her.  The  cutter  was  taken  in  tow,  only 
three  men  being  left  on  board  to  steer. 

It  was  late  in  the  afternoon  before  all  the  repairs  were 
completed.  Before  sailing,  a  rough  examination  was  made 
of  the  holds  of  the  two  vessels,  and  to  the  great  satisfac- 


142  BY    CONDUCT   AND   COURAGE 

tion  of  U Agile's  crew  both  were  found  to  contain  a  con- 
siderable amount  of  booty. 

"It  is  probable  that  there  is  a  storehouse  somewhere/' 
Will  said;  "but  as  we  have  under  thirty  available  men  it 
would  be  madness  to  try  to  land,  for  certainly  two-thirds 
of  the  scoundrels  escaped  by  swimming,,  and  as  each  craft 
must  have  carried  nearly  a  hundred  men  we  should  have 
been  altogether  overmatched.  Well,  they  had  certainly  a 
right  to  count  upon  success;  their  arrangements  were  ex- 
ceedingly good.  No  doubt  they  expected  us  to  leave  the 
batteries  alone,  and  from  the  position  in  which  they  were 
placed  they  could  have  peppered  us  hotly  while  we  were 
engaged  with  the  schooner;  in  which  case  they  would 
probably  have  had  an  easy  victory.  It  was  a  cleverly-laid 
trap  and  ought  to  have  succeeded.7' 

"And  it  would,  sir,"  Dimchurch  said,  "if  you  had  not 
turned  from  the  schooner  and  settled  with  the  cutter  be- 
fore the  other  could  come  to  her  assistance." 

"The  credit  is  largely  due  to  you,"  Will  said ;  "that  shot 
of  yours  that  took  the  mast  out  was  the  turning-point  of 
the  fight.  It  completely  crippled  her,  and  as  it  luckily 
fell  towards  us  it  altogether  prevented  them  from  return- 
ing our  fire." 

Very  proud  were  Will  and  his  crew  when  they  sailed 
into  Port  Eoyal  with  their  two  prizes.  Will  at  once  rowed 
to  the  flagship,  where  he  received  a  very  hearty  greeting. 
"You  have  not  come  empty-handed,  I  see,  Mr.  Gilmore," 
the  admiral  said;  "you  were  lucky  indeed  to  take  two 
ships  of  your  own  size  one  after  the  other." 

"We  took  them  at  the  same  time,  sir,"  Will  said,  "as 
you  will  see  by  my  report." 


AN   INDEPENDENT    COMMAND  143 

The  admiral  gave  a  look  of  surprise  and  opened  the 
document.  First  he  ran  his  eye  over  it,  then  he  read  it 
more  attentively.  When  he  had  finished  he  said:  "You 
have  fought  a  most  gallant  action,  Mr.  Gilmore,  a  most 
gallant  action.  It  was  indeed  long  odds  you  had  against 
you,  two  vessels  each  considerably  over  your  own  size  and 
manned  by  far  heavier  crews,  besides  the  two  batteries.  It 
was  an  excellent  idea  to  leave  the  vessel  with  which  you 
were  first  engaged  and  turn  upon  the  second  one.  If  you 
had  tried  to  fight  them  both  at  once  you  would  almost  cer- 
tainly have  been  overcome,  and  you  succeeded  because  you 
were  cool  enough  to  grasp  the  fact  that  the  schooner  at 
anchor  and  with  her  sails  down  would  not  be  able  to  come 
to  her  friend's  assistance  for  some  minutes,  and  acted  so 
promptly  on  your  conclusions.  The  oldest  officer  in  the 
service  could  not  have  done  better.  I  congratulate  you 
very  heartily  on  your  conduct.  What  are  the  contents 
of  the  cargoes  of  the  prizes?" 

"I  cannot  say,  sir.  With  three  vessels  on  my  hands  I 
had  no  time  to  examine  them,  but  they  certainly  contain 
a  number  of  bales  of  various  sorts.  I  opened  one  which 
contained  British  goods." 

"Then  no  doubt  they  are  the  pick  of  the  cargoes  they 
captured,"  the  admiral  said;  "I  will  go  off  with  you  my- 
self and  ascertain.  I  have  nothing  else  to  do  this  after- 
noon, and  it  will  be  a  matter  of  interest  to  me  as  well  as 
to  you.  You  may  as  well  let  your  own  gig  row  back  and 
I  will  take  mine." 

Accordingly  the  gig  was  sent  back  to  L' Agile  with  orders 
for  two  boats  to  be  lowered  and  twenty  of  the  men  to  be 
ready  to  go  to  the  two  prizes.  As  soon  as  the  admiral 


144  BY  CONDUCT  AND  COURAGE 

came  on  board  the  hatchways  were  opened,  and  the  men 
brought  up  a  number  of  the  bales.  These  were  found  to 
contain  fine  cloths,  material  for  women's  dresses,  china, 
ironmongery,  carpets,  and  other  goods  of  British  manu- 
facture. The  other  vessel  contained  sugar,  coffee,  ginger, 
spices,  and  other  products  of  the  islands.  "That  is 
enough,"  said  the  admiral;  "I  don't  think  we  shall  be 
far  wrong  if  we  put  down  the  value  of  those  two  cargoes 
at  £10,000.  The  two  vessels  will  sell  for  about  £1000 
apiece,  so  that  the  prize-money  will  be  altogether  about 
£12,000,  and  even  after  putting  aside  my  portion  you  will 
all  share  to  a  handsome  amount  in  the  proceeds.  That  is 
the  advantage  of  not  belonging  to  a  squadron.  In  that 
case  your  share  would  not  be  worth  anything  like  what 
it  will  now  be.  By  the  way,  since  you  have  been  absent  I 
have  received  the  account  of  the  prize-money  earned  by 
the  Furious  in  the  Mediterranean  and  by  the  capture  of 
the  French  frigates.  It  amounts  in  all  to  £35,000.  Of 
course,  as  a  midshipman  your  share  will  not  be  very  large ; 
probably,  indeed,  it  will  not  exceed  £250,  so,  you  see, 
pirate-hunting  in  the  West  Indies,  in  command  even  of 
a  small  craft,  pays  enormously  better  than  being  a  mid- 
shipman on  board  a  frigate." 

"It  does  indeed,  sir,  though  £250  would  be  a  fortune 
to  a  midshipman." 

"Well,  if  our  calculations  as  to  the  value  of  the  cargoes 
and  ships  are  correct,  you  will  get  more  than  ten  times 
that  amount  now.  And  as  there  are  only  the  flag  and  one 
other  officer  to  share  with  you,  the  men's  portion  will  be 
something  like  £100  apieoe.  A  few  more  captures  like 
this,"  and  he  laughed,  "and  you  will  become  a  rich  man." 


AN   INDEPENDENT   COMMAND  145 

He  then  rowed  away  to  his  own  ship,  and  Will  returned 
to  U Agile  and  gladdened  the  hearts  of  Harman  and  the 
crew  with  the  news  of  the  value  of  their  captures.  U  Agile 
remained  another  week  in  harbour,  during  which  time 
all  signs  of  the  recent  conflict  were  removed,  and  he  re- 
ceived a  draft  of  men  sufficient  to  bring  his  crew  up  to  its 
former  level.  Then  she  again  set  sail. 

They  had  cruised  for  about  a  fortnight  when  one  morn- 
ing, just  as  Will  was  getting  up,  Dimchurch  ran  down  and 
reported  that  they  had  sighted  two  sails  suspiciously  near 
each  other.  "One,"  he  said,  "looks  to  me  a  full-rigged 
ship,  and  the  other  a  large  schooner." 

"I  will  have  a  look  at  them/'  Will  said,  and,  putting  on 
his  clothes,  he  ran  on  deck. 

"Yes,  it  certainly  looks  suspicious,"  he  said,  when  he 
had  examined  them  through  his  telescope;  "we  will  head 
towards  them." 

"She  looks  to  me  a  very  large  schooner,  sir,"  said  Dim- 
church. 

"Yes,  she  is  larger  than  these  pirates  generally  are,  but 
there  is  very  little  doubt  as  to  her  character.  How  far  are 
they  off,  do  you  think?" 

"Ten  miles,  sir,  I  should  say ;  but  we  have  got  the  land- 
breeze  while  they  are  becalmed.  By  the  look  of  the  water 
I  should  say  we  should  carry  the  wind  with  us  until  we 
are  pretty  close  to  them." 

Every  sail  the  cutter  could  carry  was  hoisted,  and  she 
approached  the  two  vessels  rapidly.  They  were  some 
four  miles  from  them  when  the  sails  of  the  schooner  filled 
and  she  began  to  move  through  the  water. 

"It  will  be  a  long  chase  now,"  Will  said;  "but  the  cut- 


146  BY  CONDUCT  AND  COUKAGE 

ter  has  light  wings,  so  we  have  a  good  chance  of  over- 
hauling her." 

"The  sails  of  the  ship  are  all  anyhow,  sir,"  Harman 
said. 

"So  they  are,  Mr.  Harman;  foul  play  has  heen  going 
on  there,  I  have  not  the  least  doubt.  The  fact  that  the 
crew  are  not  making  any  effort  to  haul  in  her  sheets  and 
come  to  meet  us  is  in  itself  a  proof  of  it.  I  think  it  is 
our  duty  to  board  her  and  see  what  has  taken  place.  Even 
if  we  allow  the  schooner  to  escape  we  shall  light  upon  her 
again  some  day,  I  have  no  doubt." 

"She  is  very  low  in  the  water,"  he  said,  after  examin- 
ing the  merchantman  carefully  through  his  telescope,  "and 
either  her  cargo  is  of  no  value  to  the  pirates,  and  they 
have  allowed  it  to  remain  in  her,  or  they  have  scuttled 
her." 

"I  am  afraid  it  is  that,  sir,"  Dimchurch  said,  "for  she 
is  certainly  lower  in  the  water  than  when  I  first  saw 
her." 

"You  are  right,  Dimchurch,  the  scoundrels  have  scut- 
tled her.  Please  God  we  shall  go  to  her  before  she  foun- 
ders. Oh  for  a  stronger  wind!  Do  you  think  we  could 
row  there  quicker  than  we  sail?" 

"No,  sir.  The  gig  might  go  as  fast  as  the  cutter,  but 
the  other  boat  would  not  be  able  to  keep  pace  with  her." 

"Well,  make  all  preparations  for  lowering.  Heaven 
only  knows  what  tragedy  may  have  taken  place  there." 

After  all  had  been  got  ready,  every  eye  on  board  the 
cutter  was  fixed  on  the  vessel.  There  was  no  doubt  now 
that  she  was  getting  deeper  in  the  water  every  minute. 
When  they  got  within  a  quarter  of  a  mile  of  the  ship  she 


THE   RESCUE. 


AN   INDEPENDENT   COMMAND  147 

was  so  low  that  it  was  evident  she  could  not  float  many 
minutes  longer. 

"To  the  boats,  men,"  Will  cried,  "row  for  your  lives." 

A  moment  later  three  boats  started  at  full  speed.  The 
gig,  in  which  Dimchurch  and  Tom  were  both  rowing,  was 
first  to  reach  the  sinking  ship.  Will  leapt  on  board  at 
once,  and  as  he  did  so  he  gave  an  exclamation  of  horror, 
for  the  deck  was  strewn  with  dead  bodies.  Without  stop- 
ping to  look  about  him  he  ran  aft  to  the  companion  and 
went  down  to  the  cabin,  which  was  already  a  foot  deep 
in  water.  There  he  found  some  fifteen  men  and  women 
sitting  securely  bound  on  the  sofas.  Will  drew  his  dirk, 
and  running  along  cut  their  thongs. 

"Up  on  deck  for  your  lives,"  he  cried,  "and  get  into 
the  boats  alongside;  she  will  not  float  three  minutes." 

At  the  farther  end  of  the  cabin  a  young  girl  was  kneel- 
ing by  the  side  of  a  stout  old  lady,  who  had  evidently 
fainted. 

"Come,"  Will  said,  going  up  to  her,  "it  is  a  matter  of 
life  and  death;  we  shall  have  the  water  coming  down  the 
companion  in  a  minute  or  two." 

"I  can't  leave  her,"  the  girl  cried. 

Will  attempted  to  lift  the  old  lady,  but  she  was  far 
too  heavy  for  him. 

"I  cannot  save  her,"  he  said,  and  raised  a  shout  for 
Dimchurch.  It  was  unanswered.  "There,"  he  said,  "the 
water  is  coming  down;  she  will  sink  in  a  minute.  I  can- 
not save  her — indeed  she  is  as  good  as  dead  already — 
but  I  can  save  you,"  and  snatching  the  girl  up  he  ran  to 
the  foot  of  the  companion.  The  water  was  already  pour- 
ing down,  but  he  struggled  up  against  it,  and  managed  to 


148  BY   CONDUCT   AND   COURAGE 

reach  the  deck;  but  before  he  could  cross  to  the  side  the 
vessel  gave  a  sudden  lurch  and  went  down.  He  was  car- 
ried under  with  the  suck,  but  by  desperate  efforts  he 
gained  the  surface  just  as  his  breath  was  spent.  For  a 
moment  or  two  he  was  unable  to  speak,  but  he  was  none 
the  less  ready  to  act.  Looking  round  he  saw  a  hen-coop 
floating  near,  and,  swimming  to  it,  he  clung  to  it  with 
one  arm  while  he  held  the  girl's  head  above  water  with 
the  other.  Then,  when  he  had  recovered  his  breath,  he 
shouted  "Dimchurch !"  Fortunately  the  gig  was  not  far 
away,  and  his  hail  was  at  once  answered,  and  a  moment 
later  the  boat  was  alongside  the  hen-coop. 

"Take  this  young  lady,  Dimchurch,  and  lay  her  in  the 
stern-sheets.  She  can't  be  dead,  for  she  was  sensible  when 
the  ship  went  down,  and  we  were  not  under  water  a  min- 
ute." 

After  the  girl  had  been  laid  down,  Will  was  helped 
in. 

"Did  we  save  them  all?"  he  asked. 

"Yes,  sir;  at  least  I  think  so.  They  all  came  running 
on  deck  and  jumped  straight  into  the  boats.  I  was  busy 
helping  them,  and  did  not  notice  that  you  were  missing. 
As  the  last  seemed  to  have  come  up,  I  called  to  the  other 
boats  to  make  off,  for  I  saw  that  she  could  only  float  a 
minute  longer,  and  as  it  was  we  had  only  just  got  clear 
when  she  went  down.  Indeed  we  had  a  narrow  escape  of 
it,  and  the  men  had  to  row.  I  was  standing  up  to  look  for 
you,  and  had  just  discovered  that  you  were  not  in  any  of 
the  boats,  when  I  heard  you  call.  It  gave  me  a  bad  turn, 
as  you  may  guess,  sir,  and  glad  I  was  when  I  saw  you  were 
holding  on  to  that  hen-coop." 


AN   INDEPENDENT   COMMAND  149 

"Now,  let  us  try  and  bring  this  young  lady  round/' 
Will  said. 

They  turned  her  over  first  upon  her  face  and  let  the 
water  run  out  of  her  mouth.  Then  they  laid  her  flat  on 
her  back  with  a  jersey  under  her  head,  and  rubbed  her 
hands  and  feet  and  pressed  gently  at  times  on  her  chest. 
After  five  minutes  of  this  treatment  the  girl  heaved  a 
sigh,  and  shortly  afterwards  opened  her  eyes  and  looked 
round  in  bewilderment  at  the  faces  of  the  men.  Then 
suddenly  she  realized  where  she  was  and  remembered  what 
had  happened. 

"Oh,  it  was  dreadful!"  she  murmured.  "Poor  Miss 
Morrison  was  lost,  was  she  not?" 

"If  that  was  the  name  of  the  lady  you  were  kneeling 
by  I  regret  to  say  that  she  was.  It  was  impossible  to  save 
her;  for  though  I  tried  my  best  I  could  not  lift  her.  As 
you  call  her  Miss  Morrison  I  presume  she  is  not  a  close 
relation." 

"No,  she  had  been  my  governess  since  I  was  a  child, 
and  has  been  a  mother  to  me.  Oh,  to  think  that  she  is 
dead  while  I  am  saved !" 

"You  must  remember  that  it  might  have  been  worse," 
Will  said ;  "you  certainly  cannot  require  a  governess  many 
more  years,  and  will  find  others  on  whom  to  bestow  your 
affection.  How  old  are  you  ?" 

"I  am  fourteen,"  the  girl  said. 

"Well,  here  is  my  ship,  and  we  will  all  do  our  best  to 
make  you  comfortable." 

"Your  ship !"  the  girl  said  in  surprise ;  "do  you  mean  to 
say  that  you  are  in  command  of  her?  You  do  not  look 
more  than  a  boy." 


150  BY  CONDUCT  AND  COURAGE 

"I  am  not  much  more  than  a  boy,"  he  said  with  a  smile, 
"but  for  all  that  I  am  the  commander  of  this  vessel,  and 
this  young  gentleman  is  my  second  in  command." 


CHAPTER  VIII 

A   SPLENDID   HAUL 

WHEN"  all  were  got  on  board,  and  the  boats  hoisted  to 
the  davits,  Will  conducted  the  ladies  down  to  the 
cabin,  which  he  handed  over  to  them.  Then,  having  or- 
dered the  cook  to  prepare  some  hot  soup  for  the  girl  he 
had  rescued,  he  came  on  deck  again  and  questioned  the 
male  passengers. 

"We  were  all  dressing  for  dinner,"  one  said,  "when  we 
heard  a  shouting  on  deck.  Almost  immediately  there  was 
a  great  bump,  which  knocked  most  of  us  off  our  feet,  and  we 
thought  that  we  had  been  run  into,  but  directly  afterwards 
we  heard  a  great  tumult  going  on  above  us,  and  we  guessed 
that  the  ship  had  been  attacked  by  pirates.  The  clashing  of 
swords  and  the  falling  of  bodies  went  on  for  two  or  three 
minutes,  and  then  there  was  a  loud  savage  yell  that  told  us 
that  the  pirates  had  taken  the  ship.  Next  moment  the 
ruffians  rushed  down  upon  us,  took  away  any  valuables  we 
had  about  our  persons,  and  then  tied  us  up  and  threw  us  on 
the  sofas.  After  scouring  all  the  cabins  they  left  us,  and  by 
the  noise  that  followed  we  guessed  that  they  had  removed 
the  hatches  and  were  getting  up  the  cargo. 


A  SPLENDID   HAUL  151 

"This  continued  all  night,,  and  some  time  this  morning 
we  heard  the  brutes  going  down  to  their  boats,  and  thanked 
God  that  they  had  spared  our  lives.  Presently  all  became 
still ;  but  after  a  time  we  saw  the  water  rising  on  the  floor, 
and  the  dreadful  thought  struck  us  that  they  had  scuttled 
the  ship  and  left  us  to  perish.  One  of  us  managed,  in  spite 
of  his  bonds,  to  make  his  way  up  the  companion  and  en- 
deavour to  open  the  door.  He  found,  however,  to  his  hor- 
ror that  it  was  fastened  outside.  Time  after  time  he  flung 
himself  against  it,  but  it  would  not  yield.  The  water  rose 
higher  and  higher,  and  we  were  waiting  for  the  end  when, 
to  our  delight,  we  heard  a  bump  as  of  a  boat  coming  along- 
side the  vessel,  then  the  sound  of  someone  running  along 
the  deck  and  of  the  companion  door  being  hurriedly 
opened.  You  know  the  rest.  The  ship  was  the  Northum- 
berland of  Bristol." 

"Thank  God  we  arrived  in  time  I"  Will  said.  "It  was  an 
affair  of  seconds.  If  we  had  been  two  minutes  later  you 
would  all  have  been  drowned." 

"What  has  become  of  that  terrible  pirate  ?"  asked  one  of 
the  passengers. 

"There  he  is,  six  miles  away.  I  hope  some  day  to  avenge 
the  murder  of  your  captain  and  crew." 

"But  his  ship  looks  a  good  deal  larger  than  yours." 

"Yes,"  Will  said,  "but  we  don't  take  much  account  of 
size.  We  captured  two  pirates  in  one  fight,  both  of  them 
bigger  than  ourselves." 

"And  your  ship  looks  such  a  small  thing,  too,  in  com- 
parison with  our  vessel !" 

"Yes,  your  ship  could  pretty  well  take  her  up  and  carry 
her.  Weight  doesn't  go  for  much  in  fighting." 


152  BY   CONDUCT   AND   COURAGE 

"And  are  you  really  her  commander  ?" 

"I  have  that  honour.  I  am  a  midshipman,,  and  before  I 
got  command  of  LJ 'Agile  I  was  on  board  His  Majesty's  ships 
Furious  and  Hawke.  I  had  a  great  deal  of  luck  in  several 
fights  we  came  through,  and  as  a  result  was  entrusted  by  the 
admiral  with  the  command  of  this  vessel.  As  you  say,  she 
is  small,  but  her  guns  are  heavy  for  her  size,  and  are  more 
than  a  match  for  most  of  those  -carried  by  the  pirates." 

"Well,  sir,  in  the  name  of  myself  and  all  my  fellow- 
passengers  I  offer  you  my  sincerest  thanks  for  the  manner 
in  which  you  saved  our  lives.  How  close  a  shave  it 
was  is  shown  by  the  fact  that  you  were  yourself  unable 
to  get  off  the  ship  in  time  and  were  carried  down  with 
her." 

"It  was  all  in  the  way  of  business,"  Will  laughed.  "We 
were  after  the  pirates,  and  when  we  saw  the  state  of  your 
vessel  we  reluctantly  gave  up  the  chase  in  order  to  see  if 
we  could  be  of  any  assistance.  I  expect  the  schooner 
wouldn't  have  run  away  from  us  had  she  not  been  so  full 
of  the  cargo  she  got  from  your  ship.  They  could  not  have 
had  time  to  stow  it  all  below,  and  it  would  have  hampered 
them  in  working  their  guns,  besides  probably  affecting  their 
speed.  I  shall  know  her  again  when  I  see  her,  and  then 
will  try  if  these  scoundrels  are  as  good  at  fighting  as  they 
are  at  cold-blooded  murder." 

"Where  are  you  going  now,  sir?" 

"I  am  cruising  at  present,  and  am  master  of  my  own 
movements,  so  if  you  will  let  me  know  where  you  are 
bound  for,  I  will  try  to  set  as  many  of  you  down  at  your 
destination  as  I  can." 

"Most  of  us  are  bound  for  Jamaica,  sir,  and  the  others 


A  SPLENDID   HAUL  153 

will  be  able  to  find  their  way  to  their  respective  islands 
from  there." 

"Very  well,  then,  I  will  head  for  Jamaica  at  once.  In 
the  meantime  my  cabin  and  that  of  my  second  in  command 
are  at  the  service  of  the  ladies.  There  are  the  sofas,  too, 
in  the  saloon,  and  if  these  are  not  enough  I  will  get  some 
hammocks  slung.  I  shall  myself  sleep  on  deck,  and  those 
of  you  who  prefer  it  can  do  the  same;  for  the  others  I 
will  have  hammocks  slung  in  the  hold." 

Most  of  the  ladies  soon  came  up,  but  the  girl  Will  had 
saved  did  not  appear  till  the  next  morning.  She  was  very 
pretty,  and  likely  to  be  more  so.  If  he  had  allowed  her  she 
would  have  overwhelmed  him  with  thanks,  but  he  made 
light  of  the  whole  affair.  He  learned  from  the  other  pas- 
sengers that  she  was  the  daughter  of  one  of  the  richest 
merchants  in  Jamaica.  At  the  death  of  her  mother,  when 
she  was  five  years  old,  she  was  sent  home  to  England  in 
charge  of  the  governess  who  had  been  drowned  in  the 
Northumberland,  and  when  this  catastrophe  occurred  had 
been  on  her  way  to  rejoin  her  father.  Although  saddened 
by  the  death  of  her  old  friend,  she  soon  showed  signs  of 
a  disposition  naturally  bright  and  cheerful.  She  bantered 
Will  about  his  command,  and  professed  to  regard  U Agile 
as  a  toy  ship,  expressing  great  wonder  that  it  was  not 
manned  by  boy  A.B.'s  as  well  as  boy  officers. 

"It  must  surely  seem  very  ridiculous  to  you,"  she  said, 
"to  be  giving  orders  to  men  old  enough  to  be  your 
father." 

"I  can  quite  understand  that  it  seems  so  to  you,"  he  said, 
"for  it  does  to  me  sometimes.;  but  custom  is  everything,  and 
I  don't  suppose  the  men  give  the  matter  a  thought.  At 


154  BY  CONDUCT  AND  COURAGE 

any  rate  they  are  as  ready  to  follow  me  as  they  are  the 
oldest  veteran  in  the  service." 

Will  carried  all  the  sail  he  could  set,  as  he  was  anxious 
to  get  the  craft  free  from  passengers  and  to  be  off  in  search 
of  the  schooner  that  had  escaped  him.  He  was  again  loaded 
with  thanks  by  the  passengers  when  they  landed,  and  after 
seeing  them  off  he  went  and  made  his  report  to  the 
admiral. 

"How  is  this,  Mr.  Gilmore?"  the  admiral  said  as  he 
entered  the  cabin ;  "no  prizes  this  time  ?  And  who  are  all 
those  people  I  saw  landing  just  now  ?" 

Will  handed  in  his  report ;  but,  as  usual,  the  admiral  in- 
sisted on  hearing  all  details. 

"But  your  uniform  looks  shrunk,  Mr.  Gilmore,"  he  said 
when  Will  had  finished.  "You  said  nothing  about  being 
in  the  water  I" 

Will  was  then  obliged  to  relate  how  he  had  rescued  the 
girl  from  the  cabin. 

"Well  done  again,  young  sir !  it  is  a  deed  to  be  as  proud 
of  as  the  capturing  of  those  two  pirates.  Well  done,  in- 
deed !  Now  I  suppose  you  want  to  be  off  again  ?" 

"Yes,  sir,  I  should  like  to  sail  as  soon  as  possible;  in 
the  first  place,  because  I  am  most  anxious  to  fall  in  with 
that  schooner  and  bring  the  captain  and  crew  in  here  to  be 
hanged." 

"That  is  a  very  laudable  ambition.  And  why  in  the  seo 
and  place  ?" 

"Because  I  want  to  get  off  before  a  lot  of  people  come  TO 
thank  me  for  saving  their  relatives,  and  so  on,  sir.  If  I 
get  away  at  once,  then  I  may  hope  that  before  I  come  back 
again  the  whole  thing  will  be  forgotten." 


A  SPLENDID   HAUL  155 

"It  oughtn't  to  be,  for  you  acted  very  wisely  and  gal- 
lantly." 

"Well,  sir,  I  don't  want  a  lot  of  thanks  for  only  doing 
what  was  my  duty." 

"Very  good,  Mr.  Gilmore,  I  understand  your  feelings, 
but  I  quite  expect  that  when  you  do  return  you  will  have 
to  go  through  the  ordeal  of  being  presented  with  a  piece 
of  plate,  and  probably  after  that  you  will  have  to  attend 
a  complimentary  ball.  Now,  you  can  go  back  to  your  ship 
at  once.  Here  is  a  letter  to  the  chief  of  the  store  depart- 
ment instructing  him  to  furnish  you  with  any  stores  you 
may  want  without  waiting  for  my  signature." 

"Thank  you  very  much,  sir !  I  hope,  when  I  return, 
that  I  shall  bring  that  pirate  in  tow.  Can  I  have  three 
months  from  the  present  time?" 

"Certainly,  and  I  hope  you  will  be  able  to  make  good  use 
of  it." 

Returning  to  his  ship,  Will  at  once  made  out  the  list  of 
the  stores  he  required,  and  sent  Harman  on  shore  with  it, 
telling  him  to  take  two  boats  and  bring  everything  back 
with  him.  At  five  o'clock  in  the  afternoon  the  two  boats 
returned,  carrying  all  the  stores  required.  The  water- 
tanks  had  already  been  filled  up,  and  a  quarter  of  an  hour 
later  the  cutter  was  under  sail  and  leaving  the  harbour. 

Will,  of  course,  had  nothing  whatever  to  guide  him  in  his 
search  for  the  schooner  beyond  the  fact  that  she  was  head- 
ing west  at  the  time  when  he  last  saw  her.  At  that  time 
they  were  to  the  south  of  Porto  Rico,  so  he  concluded  that 
she  was  making  for  Cuba.  Every  day,  therefore,  he  cruised 
along  the  coast  of  that  island,  sometimes  sending  boats 
ashore  to  examine  inlets,  at  other  times  running  right  out 


156  BY  CONDUCT  AND  COURAGE 

to  sea  in  the  hope  that  the  pirate,  whose  spies  he  had  no 
doubt  were  watching  his  movements,  might  suppose  he 
had  given  up  the  search  and  was  sailing  away.  Neverthe- 
less, he  could  not  be  certain  that  she  would  endeavour  to 
avoid  him  should  she  catch  sight  of  him,  for  with  a  glass 
the  pirate  captain  could  have  made  out  the  number  of  guns 
U Agile  carried,  and  would  doubtless  feel  confident  in  his 
own  superiority,  as  he  would  not  be  able  to  discover  the 
weight  of  the  guns.  Will  felt  that  if  the  pirate  should 
fight,  his  best  policy  would  be  at  first  to  make  a  pretence 
of  running,  in  the  hope  that  in  a  long  chase  he  might 
manage  to  knock  away  some  of  the  schooner's  spars. 

One  day  he  saw  the  boats,  which  had  gone  up  a  deep 
inlet,  coming  back  at  full  speed. 

"We  saw  a  schooner  up  there,"  Harman  reported;  "I 
think  she  is  the  one  we  are  in  search  of.  When  we  sighted 
her  she  was  getting  up  sail." 

"That  will  just  suit  me.  We  will  run  out  to  sea  at  once ; 
that  will  make  him  believe  we  are  afraid  of  him." 

Scarcely  had  the  boats  been  got  on  board,  and  the  cutter's 
head  turned  offshore,  when  the  schooner  was  seen  issu- 
ing from  the  inlet.  Will  ordered  every  sail  to  be  crowded 
on,  and  had  the  satisfaction  of  seeing  the  schooner  follow- 
ing his  example.  He  then  set  the  whole  of  the  crew  to 
shift  the  long-torn  from  the  bow  to  the  stern.  Its  muzzle 
was  just  high  enough  to  project  above  the  taffrail,  and  in 
order  to  hide  it  better  he  had  hammocks  and  other  mate- 
rial piled  on  each  side  of  it  so  as  to  form  a  breastwork 
three  feet  high. 

"They  will  think,"  he  said,  "that  we  have  put  this  up  as 
a  protection  against  shot  from  his  bow-chasers." 


A   SPLENDID   HAUL  157 

After  watching  the  schooner  for  a  quarter  of  an  hour, 
Will  said : 

"I  don't  think  she  gains  upon  us  at  all ;  lower  a  sail  over 
the  bow  to  deaden  her  way.  A  small  topsail  will  do;  I 
only  want  to  check  her  half  a  knot  an  hour." 

It  was  an  hour  before  the  schooner  yawed  and  fired  her 
bow-guns. 

"That  is  good/'  Will  said  to  Dimchurch;  "it  shows  that 
she  doesn't  carry  a  long-torn.  I  thought  she  didn't,  but 
they  might  have  hidden  it,  as  we  have  done.  Don't  answer 
them  yet;  I  don't  want  to  fire  till  we  get  within  half  a 
mile  of  her;  then  they  shall  have  it  as  hot  as  they 
like." 

The  schooner  continued  to  gain  slowly,  occasionally 
firing  her  bow-chasers.  When  she  had  come  up  to  within 
a  mile  of  U Agile  the  cutter  was  yawed  and  two  broadside 
guns  fired;  they  were  purposely  aimed  somewhat  wide,  as 
Will  was  anxious  that  the  pirates  should  not  suspect  the 
weight  of  his  metal,  and  did  not  wish,  by  inflicting  some 
small  injury,  to  deter  her  from  continuing  the  chase.  The 
schooner  evidently  depended  upon  the  vastly  superior 
strength  of  her  crew  to  carry  the  cutter  by  boarding,  and 
so  abstained  from  attempting  to  injure  her,  as  the  less 
damage  she  suffered  the  better  value  she  would  be  as  a 
prize. 

"They  are  not  more  than  half  a  mile  off  now,  I  think, 
sir,"  Dimchurch  said  at  last. 

"  Very  well  then,  we  will  let  her  have  it." 

The  gun  was  already  loaded,  so  Dimchurch  took  a  steady 
aim  and  applied  the  match.  All  leapt  upon  the  bulwarks 
to  see  the  effect  of  the  shot,  and  a  cheer  broke  from  the 


158  BY  CONDUCT  AND  COURAGE 

crew  as  it  struck  the  schooner  on  the  bow,  about  four  feet 
above  the  water.  In  return  the  schooner  yawed  so  as  to 
bring  her  whole  broadside  to  bear  on  the  cutter,  and  six 
tongues  of  flame  flashed  from  her  side.  At  the  same  mo- 
ment U Agile  swung  round  and  fired  her  two  starboard 
guns.  Both  ships  immediately  resumed  their  former  posi- 
tions, and  as  they  did  so  Dimchurch  fired  again,  his  shot 
scattering  a  shower  of  splinters  from  almost  the  same  spot 
as  the  other  had  struck. 

"You  must  elevate  your  gun  a  little  more,  Dimchurch," 
said  Will,  "and  bring  a  mast  about  their  ears.  Get  that 
sail  on  board  I"  he  shouted ;  "I  don't  want  the  schooner  to 
get  any  nearer." 

The  order  was  executed,  and  the  difference  in  the  speed 
of  the  cutter  was  at  once  manifest.  Again  and  again  Dim- 
church  fired.  Several  of  the  shot  went  through  the  schoon- 
er's foresail,  but  as  yet  her  masts  were  untouched. 

"A  little  more  to  the  right,  Dimchurch." 

This  time  the  sailor  was  longer  than  usual  in  taking 
aim,  but  when  he  fired  the  schooner's  foremast  was  seen  to 
topple  over,  and  her  head  flew  up  into  the  wind,  thus  pre- 
senting her  stern  to  the  cutter. 

"She  is  a  lame  duck  now,"  Will  said,  "but  we  may  as 
well  take  her  mainmast  out  of  her  too.  Fire  away,  and 
take  as  good  aim  as  you  did  last  time." 

Ten  more  shots  were  fired,  and  with  the  last  the  pirate's 
mainmast  went  over  the  side. 

"Well  done,  Dimchurch!  Now  we  have  her  at  our 
mercy.  We  will  sail  backwards  and  forwards  under  her 
stern  and  rake  her  with  grape.  I  don't  want  to  injure  her 
more  than  is  necessary,  but  I  do  want  to  kill  as  many  of 


A  SPLENDID   HAUL  159 

the  crew  as  possible;  it  is  better  for  them  to  die  that  way 
than  to  be  taken  to  Jamaica  to  be  hanged." 

For  an  hour  the  cutter  kept  at  work  crossing  and  recross- 
ing  her  antagonist's  stern,  and  each  time  she  poured  in  a 
volley  from  two  broadside  guns  and  the  long-torn.  The 
stern  of  the  schooner  was  knocked  almost  to  pieces,  and 
the  grape-shot  carried  death  along  her  decks. 

"I  am  only  afraid  that  they  will  blow  her  up,"  Will 
said ;  "but  probably,  as  they  have  not  done  so  already,  her 
captain  and  most  of  her  officers  are  killed,  for  it  would 
require  a  desperado  to  undertake  that  job." 

At  last  the  black  flag  was  hoisted  on  a  spar  at  the  stern, 
and  then  lowered  again.  When  they  saw  this  the  crew  of 
L' Agile  stopped  firing,  and  sent  up  cheer  after  cheer. 

"Now  we  must  be  careful,  sir,"  Dimchurch  said ;  "those 
scoundrels  are  quite  capable  of  pretending  to  surrender, 
and  then,  when  we  board  her,  blowing  their  ship  and  us 
into  the  air." 

"You  are  right,  Dimchurch.  They  might  very  well  do 
that,  for  they  must  know  well  enough  that  they  can  expect 
no  mercy." 

Bringing  the  cutter  to  within  a  hundred  yards  of  the 
schooner,  Will  shouted : 

"Have  you  a  boat  that  can  swim  ?"  and  receiving  a  reply 
in  the  negative,  shouted  back:  "Very  well,  then,  I  will 
drop  one  to  you." 

He  then  placed  the  cutter  exactly  to  windward  of  the 
schooner,  and,  lowering  one  of  the  boats,  to  which  a  rope 
was  attached,  let  it  drift  down  to  the  prize. 

"Now,"  he  shouted,  "fasten  a  hawser  to  that  boat;  the 
largest  you  have." 


160  BY  CONDUCT  AND  COURAGE 

There  was  evidently  some  discussion  among  the  few  men 
gathered  on  the  deck  of  the  pirate,  and,  seeing  that  they 
hesitated,  Will  shouted : 

"Do  as  you  are  ordered,  or  I  will  open  fire  again." 

This  decided  the  pirates,  and  in  a  short  time  the  end  of 
a  hawser  was  tied  to  one  of  the  thwarts  of  the  boat.  The 
boat  was  then  hauled  back  to  L' Agile,  and  when  the  cable 
was  got  on  board  it  was  knotted  to  their  own  strongest 
hawser. 

"That  will  keep  them  a  good  bit  astern,"  Will  said; 
"otherwise,  if  the  wind  were  to  drop  at  night,  they  might 
haul  their  own  vessel  up  to  us,  and  carry  out  their  plan  of 
blowing  us  up." 

"It  is  wise  to  take  every  precaution,  sir,"  Harman  said ; 
"but  I  don't  think  any  trick  of  that  sort  would  be  likely  to 
succeed.  You  may  be  sure  we  should  keep  too  sharp  a 
watch  on  them." 

While  the  hawsers  were  being  spliced,  Will  shouted  to  the 
pirates  to  cut  away  the  wreckage  from  their  ship,  and  when 
this  was  done  he  started  with  his  prize  in  tow.  As  soon  as 
they  were  fairly  under  weigh  he  hailed  the  prisoners 
through  his  speaking-trumpet  and  questioned  them  about 
their  casualties.  They  replied  that  at  the  beginning  of  the 
engagement  they  had  had  one  hundred  and  twenty  men  on 
board.  The  captain  had  been  killed  by  the  first 
volley  of  grape,  and  the  slaughter  among  the  crew 
had  been  terrible,  all  the  officers  being  killed  and  eighty 
of  the  men.  The  remainder  had  run  down  into  the 
hold,  and  remained  there  until,  after  a  consultation,  one 
of  them  crawled  up  on  deck  and  hoisted  and  lowered  the 
black  flag. 


A   SPLENDID   HAUL  161 

"I  suppose/7  Will  said,  "your  intention  was  to  blow  the 
ship  and  yourselves  and  us  into  the  air  as  soon  as  we  came 
on  board." 

"That  is  just  what  we  did  mean/'  one  of  them  shouted 
savagely ;  "if  we  could  but  have  paid  you  out  we  would  not 
have  minded  what  became  of  ourselves." 

"It  is  well,  indeed,  Dimchurch,  that  you  suggested  the 
possibility  of  their  doing  this  to  us.  But  for  that  we  should 
certainly  have  lost  nearly  all  our  number,  for,  not  knowing 
how  many  of  the  crew  survived,  I  could  not  have  ventured 
to  go  on  board  without  pretty  nearly  every  man.  It  will 
be  a  lesson  to  me  in  future,  when  I  am  fighting  pirates,  to 
act  as  if  they  were  wild  beasts." 

"Well,  sir,  I  don't  know  that  they  are  altogether  to  be 
blamed ;  it  is  only  human  nature  to  pay  back  a  blow  for  a 
blow,  and  with  savages  like  these,  especially  when  they 
know  that  they  are  bound  to  be  hanged,  you  could  hardly 
expect  anything  else." 

"I  suppose  not,  Dimchurch,  and  certainly  for  myself  I 
would  rather  be  blown  up  than  hanged.  I  suppose  the 
reason  why  they  did  not  blow  up  the  ship  when  they  found 
their  plan  had  failed  was  that  they  clung  to  life  even  for  a 
few  days." 

"I  expect  it  is  that,  sir;  besides,  you  know,  each  man 
may  think  that  although  no  doubt  the  rest  will  be  hanged, 
he  himself  may  get  off." 

"Yes,  I  dare  say  that  has  something  to  do  with  it,"  Will 
agreed.  "I  don't  think  it  likely,  however,  that  any  one  of 
them  will  be  spared  after  that  affair  of  the  Northumber- 
land, and  very  probably  that  was  only  one  of  a  dozen  ships 
destroyed  in  the  same  way. 


162  BY  CONDUCT  AND  COURAGE 

"Now,  Harman,  we  will  put  her  head  round  and  sail 
back/' 

"Sail  back,  sir?" 

"Certainly;  I  think  there  is  no  doubt  that  that  inlet  is 
the  pirates'  head-quarters,  and  that  they  are  certain  to 
have  storehouses  there  choke-full  of  plunder.  Some  of 
their  associates  will  in  that  case  be  on  shore  looking  after 
it,  and  if  their  ship  doesn't  return  they  will  divide  the 
most  valuable  portion  of  these  stores  among  themselves, 
and  set  fire  to  all  the  rest.  We  have  done  extremely  well 
so  far,  but  another  big  haul  will  make  matters  all  the 
pleasanter." 

"But  what  will  you  do  with  the  prize  ?"  asked  Harman. 

"I  will  cast  her  off  eight  or  ten  miles  from  the  shore; 
they  have  no  boats,  and  the  schooner  is  a  mere  log  on  the 
water.  When  we  see  what  plunder  they  have  collected  I 
shall  be  able  to  decide  how  to  act.  The  cutter  can  hold  a 
great  deal,  but  if  we  find  more  than  she  can  carry  we 
must  load  the  schooner  also." 

"But  what  would  you  do  with  the  pirates  in  that  case, 
sir?" 

"I  should  try  to  make  them  come  off  in  batches,  and  then 
iron  them;  but  if  they  would  not  do  that,  I  should  be  in- 
clined to  tow  the  schooner  to  within  half  a  mile  of  the 
shore,  and  so  give  all  that  could  swim  the  chance  of  getting 
away.  Those  of  them  that  are  unable  to  do  so  would  prob- 
ably manage  to  get  off  on  spars  or  hatchways.  They  have 
been  richly  punished  already,  and  I  fancy  the  admiral 
would  be  much  better  pleased  to  see  the  schooner  come  in 
loaded  with  valuable  plunder  than  if  she  carried  only 
forty  scoundrels  to  be  handed  over  to  the  hangman." 


A   SPLENDID   HAUL  163 

"But  if  we  were  to  let  them  escape  we  should  have  to 
take  great  care  on  shore  while  we  were  rifling  the  store- 
houses." 

"You  may  be  sure  that  I  should  do  that,  Harman.  The 
fellows  could  certainly  take  no  firearms  on  shore,  and  I 
should  keep  ten  men  with  loaded  muskets  always  on  guard, 
while  those  who  are  at  work  would  have  their  firearms 
handy  to  them." 

They  towed  the  schooner  to  within  seven  or  eight  miles 
of  the  shore,  and  then  cast  her  off  and  made  for  the  creek 
from  which  the  pirates  had  come  out.  As  they  entered 
the  inlet,  which  was  two  miles  long,  they  could  see  no  signs 
of  houses,  so  they  sailed  as  far  as  they  could  and  anchored. 
Will  then  landed  with  a  party  of  ten  well-armed  men,  and 
at  once  began  to  make  a  careful  examination  of  the  beach. 
In  a  short  time  they  found  a  well-beaten  path  going  up 
through  the  wood.  Before  following  this,  however,  Will 
took  the  precaution  to  have  fifteen  more  men  sent  ashore, 
as  it  was,  of  course,  impossible  to  say  how  many  of  a  guard 
had  been  left  at  the  head-quarters.  When  the  second  party 
had  landed,  all  advanced  cautiously  up  the  path,  holding 
their  muskets  in  readiness  for  instant  action.  They  met, 
however,  with  no  opposition ;  the  pirates  were  evidently  un- 
aware of  their  presence.  They  had  gone  but  a  very  short 
distance  when  they  came  to  a  large  clearing,  in  the  middle 
of  which  they  saw  several  large  huts  and  three  great 
storehouses.  They  went  on  at  the  double  towards  them, 
but  they  had  gone  only  a  short  distance  when  they  heard 
a  shout  and  a  shot,  and  saw  a  dozen  men  and  a  number 
of  women  issue  from  the  backs  of  the  huts  and  make  for 
the  wood. 


164  BY   CONDUCT   AND  COUBAGE 

"Now,  my  lads/'  shouted  Will,  "break  open  the  doors 
of  those  storehouses ;  there  is  not  likely  to  be  much  that  is 
of  value  in  the  huts.  You  had  better  take  four  men,  Dim- 
church,  and  set  fire  to  them  all;  of  course  you  can  just 
look  in  and  see  rf  there  is  anything  worth  taking  before  you 
apply  a  light." 

Will  himself  superintended  the  breaking  open  of  the 
storehouses.  When  he  entered  the  first  he  paused  in 
amazement;  it  was  filled  to  the  very  top  with  boxes  and 
bales.  The  other  two  were  in  a  similar  condition. 

"There  is  enough  to  fill  the  cutter  and  the  prize  a  dozen 
times,"  Will  said.  "I  expect  they  trade  to  some  extent  with 
the  Spaniards,  but  they  evidently  had  another  intention  in 
storing  these  goods.  Probably  they  proposed,  when  they 
had  amassed  sufficient,  to  charter  a  large  ship,  fill  her  up 
to  the  hatchways,  and  sail  to  some  American  port  or  some 
other  place  where  questions  are  not  usually  asked." 

There  was  a  safe  in  the  corner  of  one  of  the  storehouses ; 
this  they  blew  open,  and  when  Will  examined  its  contents 
he  found  that  they  consisted  of  the  papers  and  manifests  of 
cargoes  of  no  fewer  than  eleven  ships. 

"My  conjecture  was  right,"  he  said.  "They  intended, 
no  doubt,  to  keep  some  large  merchantman  they  had  cap- 
tured, fill  her  with  the  contents  of  tHeir  prizes,  and  then 
with  the  papers  and  manifests  of  cargo  they  could  go 
almost  anywhere  and  dispose  of  their  ill-gotten  goods." 

"I  have  no  doubt  that  is  so,  sir,"  Dimchurch  said;  "I 
only  wonder  they  did  not  set  about  it  before." 

"It  is  quite  possible  they  have  done  so  already,"  Will 
said,  "but  they  may  have  taken  prizes  quicker  than  they 
could  dispose  of  them,  which  would  account  for  this  im- 


A  SPLENDID   HAUL  165 

mense  accumulation.  Now,  Dimchurch,  I  will  sit  down 
and  go  through  those  bills  of  lading  and  pick  out  the  most 
valuable  goods.  We  will  then  take  these  off  to  begin  with, 
and  can  leave  it  to  the  admiral  to  send  a  man-of-war  or 
charter  some  merchantman  to  bring  the  rest.  The  schooner 
should  carry  between  two  and  three  hundred  tons,  and  we 
could  manage  to  cram  eighty  or  a  hundred  into  our 
hold.  If  we  get  all  that  safely  to  Jamaica,  we  need  not 
grieve  much  if  we  find  that  the  rest  of  the  goods  have  been 
burned  before  the  ships  can  come  to  fetch  them." 

It  took  him  three  hours  to  go  through  the  bills  of  lading, 
making  a  mark  against  all  the  most  valuable  goods.  Then 
some  of  the  men  were  set  to  sort  these  out.  There  was  no 
great  difficulty  about  this,  as  the  goods  had  been  very 
neatly  stored,  those  belonging  to  each  ship  being  separated 
by  narrow  passages  from  the  rest.  The  remainder  of  the 
men  except  two  were  meanwhile  brought  from  the  cutter. 
Sentries  were  then  placed  to  watch  all  the  approaches  to 
the  storehouses,  and  while  ten  men  got  out  the  bales  and 
boxes,  the  remaining  twenty-six  carried  them  down  the 
path.  At  night  half  the  men  remained  in  the  storehouses, 
the  other  half  returning  to  the  cutter. 

Before  sunset  Will  went  with  a  small  escort  to  the  top  of 
a  neighbouring  hill  to  see  that  all  was  well  with  the  hulk  of 
the  schooner.  With  the  aid  of  his  telescope  he  could  see 
her  plainly,  and  to  his  great  satisfaction  noted  that  she  had 
made  but  little  drift. 

The  next  morning  the  work  was  resumed,  and  was  car- 
ried on  all  day  with  only  short  breaks  for  meals,  and  so  on 
the  following  two  days.  At  the  end  of  that  time  as  much 
had  been  put  on  board  the  cutter  as  she  could  carry.  Ten 


166  ET  CONDUCT  AND  COURAGE 

men  were  then  left  to  guard  the  stores,  and  the  rest,  going 
on  board,  sailed  out  to  the  schooner  and  towed  her  in. 
They  did  not,  as  was  at  first  intended,  stop  a  mile  outside 
the  inlet,  but  came  right  into  it  and  anchored  opposite  the 
path,  as  the  labour  of  continually  loading  the  cutter  and 
then  transferring  her  cargo  to  the  hulk  would  have  been 
very  great.  The  next  morning  a  party  of  twelve  men  went 
on  board  her,  and  found,  as  Will  had  expected,  that  she 
was  entirely  deserted. 

"They  will  be  too  happy  at  having  made  their  escape  to 
do  anything  for  the  next  day  or  two,"  Will  said,  "so  we 
can  go  on  working  as  usual.  Fortunately  the  fellows  who 
were  left  in  the  huts  were  taken  so  completely  by  surprise 
that  they  bolted  at  once  and  left  their  guns  behind.  If, 
therefore,  they  are  joined  by  their  friends  from  the 
schooner,  and  attack  us,  they  will  have  no  firearms  with 
them,  for,  as  the  hulk  is  anchored  about  two  hundred 
yards  from  shore,  it  would  require  a  marvellously  good 
swimmer  to  carry  his  musket  and  ammunition  ashore  with 
him.  In  future,  however,  we  will  leave  twenty  men  to 
guard  the  storehouses  at  night;  there  is  no  boat  in  the, 
inlet  by  means  of  which  they  could  attack  the  cutter,  and 
they  are  not  likely  to  try  to  do  so  by  swimming.  At  any 
rate,  Harman,  I  will  place  you  in  command  of  her,  and 
shall  therefore  feel  perfectly  confident  that  we  shall  not 
be  taken  by  surprise." 

"You  can  trust  me  for  that,  sir;  I  promise  you  that  I 
will  sleep  with  one  eye  open,  though  I  don't  think  they 
would  be  likely  to  attempt  such  an  enterprise.  They  are 
much  more  likely  to  attack  you  at  the  stores.  I  think  it 
would  be  advisable  to  take  twenty-five  men  with  you  and 


A   SPLENDID   HAUL  167 

leave  me  with  fifteen,  which  would  be  ample.  I  should 
divide  them  into  two  watches,,  so  that  there  would  always 
be  seven  on  deck.  Jefferson,  who  is  an  uncommonly  sharp 
fellow,  would  be  in  charge  of  one  of  the  watches,  and 
Williams  of  the  other;  and  as  I  should  myself  be  up  and 
down  all  night,  there  would  be  no  chance  of  our  being 
caught  napping."  Will  agreed  to  this  arrangement. 

The  prize  was  now  brought  close  inshore,  the  water  being 
deep  enough  to  allow  of  this.  It  was  a  great  advantage,  as 
the  goods  could  be  put  on  board  direct,  and  the  work  was 
thereby  greatly  accelerated. 

Behind  a  pile  of  goods  another  safe  was  discovered,  and 
this  was  found  to  contain  £8500  in  money,  nearly  a  hun- 
dred watches,  and  a  large  amount  of  ladies'  jewellery. 
Many  watches  had  also  been  found  in  the  huts  before  these 
were  burned.  The  bales  and  boxes  contained  chiefly  spices, 
silks  and  sateens,  shawls,  piece-goods,  and  coffee. 

On  the  night  of  the  fourth  day  after  the  escape  of  the 
prisoners  one  of  the  sentries  perceived  a  dark  mass  mov- 
ing from  the  wood.  He  at  once  fired  his  musket,  and  in  a 
minute  Will  and  Dimchurch,  with  their  five-and-twenty 
men,  were  all  in  readiness. 

"Now,  my  men,"  Will  said,  "these  fellows  will  attempt 
to  rush  us.  We  will  divide  into  three  parties  and  will  fire 
by  volleys;  one  party  must  not  fire  till  they  see  that  all 
are  loaded.  In  that  way  we  shall  always  have  sixteen 
muskets  ready  for  them.  I  have  no  fear  of  the  result,  and 
even  if  they  close  with  us  our  cutlasses  will  be  more  than  a 
match  for  their  knives.  Here  they  come !  Get  ready,  the 
first  section,  and  don't  fire  till  I  tell  you." 

The  enemy,  fully  sixty  strong,  came  on  with  fierce  cries, 


168  BY  CONDUCT  AND  COURAGE 

knowing  that  the  garrison  were  on  guard,  although  they 
could  not  see  them  in  the  shadow  of  the  storehouses.  When 
they  got  within  fifty  yards  Will  gave  the  order  to  fire,  and 
the  first  eight  muskets  flashed  out.  The  second  eight  fired 
almost  immediately  after,  and  the  third  eight,  waiting  only 
till  the  first  section  had  reloaded,  followed  suit.  Nearly 
every  shot  told,  and  the  shock  was  so  great  that  it  caused 
the  advancing  enemy  to  hesitate  for  a  moment.  This  gave 
the  second  and  third  sections  time  to  reload,  so  that,  when 
the  pirates  again  advanced,  three  more  deadly  volleys  were 
poured  into  them  in  quick  succession.  The  effect  of  these 
was  instantaneous.  Fully  five-and-thirty  had  been  brought 
to  the  ground  by  the  six  volleys;  the  remainder  halted, 
swayed  for  a  moment,  then  turned  and  fled  at  full  speed, 
pursued,  however,  before  they  reached  the  wood,  by  another 
general  discharge. 

Will  was  well  pleased  with  the  tremendously  heavy  pun- 
ishment he  had  inflicted. 

"Out  of  the  sixty  men  who  attacked  us,"  he  said  to  Har- 
man  the  next  morning,  "I  calculate  that  forty  belonged  to 
the  schooner.  I  don't  suppose  they  were  worse  than  the 
other  twenty;  but  we  had  ourselves  seen  some  of  the 
crimes  they  had  committed.  We  have  accounted  for  forty 
in  all,  so  of  those  who  escaped  from  the  schooner  probably 
some  five-  or  six-and-twenty  have  been  killed.  After  such 
a  thrashing  they  are  not  likely  to  make  another  attempt/7 

He  was  right.  The  work  now  went  on  undisturbed,  and 
at  the  end  of  a  fortnight  the  schooner  was  laden.  All  the 
hatches  had  been  closed  and  made  water-tight ;  and  so  full 
was  she  that  her  deck  was  only  two  feet  and  a  half  above 
the  water,  although  her  guns  had  been  thrown  overboard  or 
landed. 


A   SPLENDID   HAUL  169 

"Now  I  think  we  are  all  ready  to  sail/'  Harman  said. 

"Ready  to  sail !  We  have  a  fortnight's  hard  work  before 
us,"  said  Will.  "You  don't  suppose  I  am  going  to  leave  all 
these  hogsheads  of  sugar,  puncheons  of  rum,  and  bales  of 
goods  to  be  burnt  or  destroyed  by  those  scoundrels." 

"How  can  you  prevent  it  ?" 

"Very  easily.  There  are  plenty  of  materials  on  the  spot 
to  form  four  batteries,  one  on  each  side  of  the  storehouses. 
We  will  drag  up  eight  of  the  schooner's  guns  and  mount 
two  on  each  battery ;  they  shall  be  loaded  and  crammed  to 
the  muzzle  with  grape-shot.  The  batteries  shall  be  built 
clear  of  the  storehouses  and  in  echelon,  so  that  if  one  is 
attacked  it  can  be  supported  by  the  others.  As  a  garrison 
I  will  leave  sixteen  men  under  Dimchurch." 

Dimchurch  was  called  up  and  the  matter  explained  to 
him,  and  he  readily  agreed  to  take  charge. 

"Two  men,"  he  said,  "can  be  on  watch  in  each  battery 
while  the  others  sleep ;  so  there  will  be  no  chance  of  being 
taken  by  surprise,  and  you  may  be  quite  sure  that,  no  mat- 
ter how  strong  a  mob  may  come  down,  they  won't  stand 
the  discharge  of  eight  cannon  loaded  as  you  say.  I  sup- 
pose, sir,  you  mean  to  form  the  batteries  of  bales  of  cotton. 
There  is  a  whole  ship-load  of  them." 

"That  is  my  intention,  Dimchurch ;  I  have  had  it  in  my 
mind  all  the  time." 

The  whole  strength  of  the  crew,  with  the  exception  of 
two  to  watch  on  board  the  cutter,  now  went  up  to  the 
storehouses,  and  the  men,  delighted  to  know  that  all  this 
booty  was  not  to  be  lost,  set  to  work  with  great  vigour. 
Will  marked  out  the  sites  for  the  batteries,  and  the  bales 
of  cotton  were  rolled  to  them  and  built  up  into  substantial 


170  BY  CONDUCT  AND  COURAGE 

walls.  It  took  ten  days  of  hard  labour  to  do  this  and  haul 
up  the  guns. 

When  the  work  was  completed  Dimchurch  chose  sixteen 
of  the  crew.  There  was  an  ample  supply  of  provisions, 
which  had  been  taken  out  of  the  huts  before  they  were 
burnt;  so  it  was  not  necessary  to  draw  upon  the  stores  of 
the  cutter.  When  all  was  ready  the  two  parties  said 
good-bye,  and,  with  a  mutual  cheer,  the  cutter's  crew  went 
on  board. 

"It  is  a  hazardous  business,  I  admit,"  Will  said,  as, 
having  got  up  sail,  they  moved  down  the  inlet  with  the 
schooner  in  tow.  "Of  course  I  shall  be  a  little  uneasy  until 
we  can  return  from  Jamaica  and  relieve  Dimchurch;  but 
I  feel  convinced  that  he  will  be  able  to  hold  his  own  and  to 
give  another  lesson  to  the  pirates  if  necessary.  When  they 
see  us  sail  out  they  will  naturally  conclude  that  no  great 
number  can  be  left  to  guard  the  stores.  Still,  we  may  be 
sure  that  they  have  kept  a  watch  on  our  doings  from  the 
edge  of  the  forest,  and  that  the  sight  of  the  guns  will 
inspire  a  wholesome  dread  in  them.  I  cannot  but  think 
that  eight  discharges  of  grape  and  langrage  will  send  them 
to  the  right-about  however  strong  they  may  be.  Besides, 
we  have  given  the  men  three  muskets  each,  in  addition  to 
their  own,  from  those  we  found  on  board  the  schooner ;  so 
if  the  enemy  press  on  they  will  be  able  to  give  them  a  warm 
reception.  And  then,  even  if  the  attack  is  too  much  for 
them,  they  have  still  a  resource,  for  we  have  left  an  exit 
in  the  rear  of  each  battery  by  which  they  can  retire  to  the 
storehouses.  I  have  instructed  them  to  carry  all  their 
muskets  back  with  them;  sixteen  men  with  four  muskets 
apiece  could  make  a  very  sturdy  defence.  As  you  know, 


A   SPELL   ASHOKE  171 

I  had  the  doors  repaired  and  strengthened  and  loopholes 
cut  in  the  walls.  Still,  I  don't  think  they  will  be  needed." 

"How  much  do  you  think  the  prize  will  be  worth  ?"  Har- 
man  asked. 

"I  have  really  no  idea,  but  I  am  sure  that  what  we  have 
got  here  and  in  the  schooner  must  be  worth  some  thousands 
of  pounds.  What  we  have  left  behind  must  be  the  contents 
of  about  ten  vessels,  as  all  we  have  been  able  to  take  is 
only  a  full  cargo  for  one  good-sized  ship." 


CHAPTER   IX 

A   SPELL   ASHOKE 

TEN  days  later  they  arrived  at  Jamaica,  and  Will  at 
once  went  to  make  his  report  to  the  admiral. 

"Well/'  the  admiral  said  heartily,  "you  have  brought  in 
another  prize,  Mr.  Gilmore.  She  looks  a  mere  hulk,  and  is 
remarkably  deep  in  the  water.  What  is  she  ?" 

"She  is  the  schooner  that  sank  the  Northumberland/' 

"You  must  have  knocked  her  about  terribly,  for  she  is 
evidently  sinking." 

"No,  sir,  she  is  all  right  except  that  the  stern  is  shat- 
tered. We  have  covered  it  over  with  tarpaulins  backed  by 
battens;  otherwise  she  is  almost  uninjured." 

"I  am  glad,  indeed,  to  hear  that  you  have  caught  that 
scoundrel,  Mr.  Gilmore,  but  I  hardly  think  she  can  be 
worth  towing  in." 


172  BY  CONDUCT  AND  COURAGE 

"She  is  worth  a  good  deal,  sir,  for  both  she  and  the  cut- 
ter are  choke-full  of  loot." 

"Indeed !"  the  admiral  said  in  a  tone  of  gratification. 
"In  that  case  she  must  be  valuable;  but  let  me  hear  all 
about  it." 

"I  have  stated  it  in  my  report,  sir." 

"But  you  always  leave  out  a  good  deal  in  your  report. 
Please  give  me  a  full  account  of  it.  First,  how  many 
guns  did  she  carry?" 

"Six  guns  a-side,  sir." 

"Then  you  must  have  done  wonders.  Now  tell  me  all 
about  it." 

Will  modestly  gave  a  full  account  of  the  fight  and  of 
the  steps  he  had  afterwards  taken  to  prevent  them  from 
playing  a  treacherous  trick  upon  him,  and  of  the  land 
fight  and  the  arrangements  made  to  secure  the  goods  he 
found  at  their  head-quarters. 

"And  now,  what  have  you  brought  home  this  time?" 
the  admiral  asked. 

"This  is  the  list,  sir.  I  took  it  from  the  bills  of  lading 
which  we  found  at  the  pirate  head-quarters.  Altogether 
the  storehouses  contained  the  cargoes  of  eleven  ships.  We 
picked  out  the  most  valuable  goods  and  loaded  the  cutter 
and  schooner  with  them,  but  that  was  only  a  very  small 
portion  of  the  total.  I  have  left  nearly  half  my  crew 
there  to  guard  the  storehouses  until  you  could  send  some 
ships  from  here  to  bring  home  their  contents.  With  the 
cutter  to  navigate  and  the  schooner  to  tow  I  dared  not 
weaken  myself  further.  I  have  left  sixteen  of  my  men 
there  under  my  boatswain,  and  have  erected  four  batter- 
ies with  cotton  bales,  each  mounting  two  guns,  which  are 


A   SPELL   ASHORE  173 

charged  to  the  muzzle  with  grape  and  langrage.  I  have 
every  confidence,  therefore,  that  the  little  garrison  will 
be  able  to  hold  its  own  against  a  greatly  superior  force." 

"It  was  a  great  risk/7  the  admiral  said  gravely. 

"I  am  aware  of  that,  sir,  but  it  was  worth  running  the 
risk  for  such  a  splendid  prize.  The  value  of  nearly  eleven 
cargoes  must  be  something  very  great." 

"Indeed  it  must/'  the  admiral  said;  "what  are  they 
composed  of?" 

"You  will  see  the  entire  list  in  the  bills  of  lading,  sir. 
I  should  say  that  nearly  half  the  goods  are  sugar,  rum, 
and  molasses ;  the  other  half  are  bales  and  boxes,  of  which 
the  details  are  given.  Those  we  have  brought  home  are 
silks,  satins,  cloth,  shawls,  and  other  materials  of  female 
dress,  coffee,  and  spices." 

"Well,  Mr.  Gilmore,  this  certainly  appears  to  be  the 
richest  haul  that  has  ever  been  made  in  these  islands,  at 
any  rate  since  the  days  of  the  Spanish  galleons.  I  will 
lose  no  time  in  chartering  some  ships.  How  many  do  you 
think  will  be  necessary?" 

"I  should  say,  sir,  that  if  you  had  five  vessels  you  could 
do  it  in  two  trips.  Meanwhile  I  wish  you  would  give  me 
another  thirty  men  to  strengthen  the  garrison." 

"Certainly  I  will  do  so.  There  are  several  vessels  in 
the  harbour  which  have  discharged  their  cargoes  and  have 
not  yet  taken  fresh  ones  on  board,  but  are  waiting  to  sail 
for  England  under  a  convoy.  They  will,  no  doubt,  be 
glad  of  a  job  in  the  meantime." 

Four  days  later  the  cutter  again  put  to  sea,  with  five 
merchantmen  and  a  frigate,  which  was  charged  to  act  as 
a  convoy.  When  they  arrived  off  the  inlet  Will  went 


174  BY  CONDUCT  AND  COURAGE 

ashore,  and  to  his  delight  found  the  storehouses  intact, 
and  the  little  garrison  all  well.  The  crews  of  all  the  ships 
were  at  once  landed,  and  in  a  short  time  the  place  was 
a  scene  of  bustle  and  activity.  In  spite,  however,  of  their 
exertions  it  was  a  fortnight  before  all  the  ships  were 
loaded. 

Before  setting  sail  again  Will  told  off  the  thirty  addi- 
tional men  to  remain,  and  Harman  was  left  in  command. 
Dimchurch  had  reported  that  only  once  had  the  pirates 
shown  in  force.  He  had  allowed  them  to  come  within  a 
hundred  yards  of  the  battery  they  were  facing,  and  then 
poured  the  contents  of  both  guns  into  them,  whereupon 
they  had  at  once  fled,  leaving  ten  killed  behind  them. 

When  the  little  fleet  arrived  at  Jamaica  again,  Will 
found  that  the  goods  which  he  had  brought  in  the  cutter 
and  schooner  were  valued  at  a  far  higher  price  than  his 
estimate. 

The  merchantmen  were  unloaded  as  fast  as  possible, 
and  started  again  for  Cuba  without  delay.  All  was  well 
with  the  garrison  at  the  inlet.  A  serious  attack  had  been 
made  on  the  forts  the  day  after  the  fleet  had  sailed  for 
Jamaica,  but  the  garrison  had  repulsed  it  so  effectually 
that  they  had  not  seen  a  sign  of  the  enemy  since.  Even 
the  hope  of  plunder  was  not  strong  enough  to  induce  the 
negroes  to  make  another  attempt,  and  as  for  the  pirates, 
they  had  been  almost  entirely  wiped  out. 

After  the  storehouses  had  been  emptied  they  were 
burned,  and  Harman  and  his  party  returned  to  the  cutter, 
and  the  fleet  once  more  sailed  for  Jamaica. 

Will  immediately  started  again  on  a  short  cruise.  This 
time  he  met  with  no  adventures.  At  the  end  of  three 


A   SPELL   ASHORE  175 

weeks  he  returned,  and  when  he  went  to  make  his  report 
the  admiral  told  him  that  the  total  value  of  the  capture 
amounted  to  £140,000. 

"I  must  congratulate  you,"  he  said,  "as  well  as  myself, 
on  this  haul.  I  should  say  it  would  make  you  the  rich- 
est midshipman  in  the  service.  My  share,  as  you  know,  is 
an  eighth.  You,  as  officer  in  command,  and  altogether 
independent  of  the  fleet,  will  get  one  quarter.  Mr.  Har- 
man's  share  will  be  an  eighth,  and  the  rest  will  be  divided 
among  the  crew,  the  boatswain  getting  four  shares." 

"I  am  astounded,  sir,"  Will  said.  "It  seems  almost  im- 
possible that  I  can  be  master  of  so  much  money." 

"You  have  the  satisfaction  at  any  rate,  Mr.  Gilmore, 
of  knowing  that  you  have  earned  it  by  your  own  exer- 
tions, courage,  and  skill.  I  think  now  that  it  is  only  fair 
that  I  should  send  you  back  to  your  ship  when  she  next 
comes  in,  and  give  someone  else  a  chance." 

"I  agree  with  you,  sir,  and  I  cannot  but  feel  deeply 
indebted  to  you  for  having  put  me  in  the  way  of  making 
a  fortune." 

"I  little  knew  what  was  coming  of  it,"  the  admiral  said, 
"when  I  gave  you  the  command  of  that  little  craft.  If 
I  had  had  the  slightest  notion  I  should  assuredly  have 
given  it  to  an  older  officer." 

Will  returned  to  the  cutter  in  a  state  of  bewilderment 
at  his  good  fortune.  When  he  came  on  deck  a  little  later 
he  found  waiting  for  him  a  gentleman  who  advanced  with 
open  arms. 

"Mr.  Gilmore,"  he  said,  "my  name  is  Palethorpe.  I  am 
the  father  of  the  young  girl  whose  life  you  so  gallantly 
saved  when  the  Northumberland  sank.  I  have  been  trying 


176  BY  CONDUCT  AND  COURAGE 

to  catch  you  ever  since,  but  I  live  up  among  the  hills, 
except  when  business  calls  me  down  here,  and  your  stay 
here  has  always  been  so  short  that  I  never  before  heard 
of  your  arrival  until  you  had  started  again.  I  cannot  say, 
sir,  how  intensely  grateful  I  feel.  She  is  my  only  child, 
and  you  may  guess  what  a  terrible  blow  it  would  have 
been  to  me  had  she  been  lost." 

"I  only  did  my  duty,  sir,  and  I  am  glad  indeed  that 
I  was  able  to  save  your  daughter's  life.  Pray  do  not  say 
anything  more  about  it." 

"But,  my  dear  sir,  that  is  quite  impossible.  One  man 
cannot  render  so  vast  a  service  to  another  and  escape  with- 
out being  thanked.  I  have  driven  down  here  to  carry 
you  off  to  my  home  whether  you  like  it  or  not.  I  called 
on  the  admiral  this  morning,  and  he  said  that  he  would 
willingly  grant  you  a  week's  leave  or  longer,  and,  in  fact, 
that  you  would  be  unemployed  until  the  Haivke  came  in, 
as  a  master's  mate  would  take  over  your  command." 

Will  felt  that  he  could  not  decline  an  invitation  so 
heartily  given.  Accordingly  he  packed  up  his  shore-going 
kit,  left  Harman  in  temporary  command,  and  went  with 
his  new  friend  ashore.  A  well-appointed  vehicle  with  a 
pair  of  fine  horses  was  waiting  for  them,  and  as  soon  as 
they  were  seated  they  at  once  started  inland.  After  leav- 
ing the  town  they  began  to  mount,  and  were  soon  high 
among  the  mountains.  The  scenery  was  lovely,  and  Will, 
who  had  not  before  made  an  excursion  so  far  into  the 
interior,  was  delighted  with  his  drive.  So  much  so,  in- 
deed, that  Mr.  Palethorpe  gradually  ceased  speaking  of 
the  subject  nearest  his  heart,  and  suffered  Will  to  enjoy 
the  journey  in  silence.  At  last  they  drove  up  to  a  hand- 


A   SPELL   ASHORE  177 

some  house  which  was  surrounded  by  a  broad  veranda 
covered  with  roses  and  other  flowers.  As  they  stopped, 
a  girl  of  fourteen  ran  out.  Will  would  scarcely  have  rec- 
ognized her.  She  was  now  dressed  in  white  muslin,  and 
her  hair  was  tied  up  with  blue  ribbon,  while  a  broad 
sash  of  the  same  colour  encircled  her  waist.  She  had 
now  also  recovered  her  colour,  which  the  shock  of  her  ad- 
venture had  driven  from  her  cheeks,  and  she  looked  the 
picture  of  health  and  happiness. 

"Oh,  you  dear  boy  I"  she  cried  out,  and  to  Will's  aston- 
ishment and  consternation  she  threw  her  arms  round  his 
neck  and  kissed  him.  "Oh,  how  much  you  have  done  for 
us !  If  it  hadn't  been  for  you  father  would  have  had  no 
one  to  pet  him  and  scold  him.  It  would  have  been 
dreadful,  wouldn't  it,  daddy?" 

"It  would  indeed,  my  child,"  her  father  said  gravely; 
"it  would  have  taken  all  the  joy  out  of  my  life,  and  left 
me  a  lonely  old  man." 

"I  have  told  you  before,"  she  said,  "that  you  are  not 
to  call  yourself  old.  I  don't  call  you  old  at  all ;  I  consider 
that  you  are  just  in  your  prime.  Now  come  in,  Mr. 
Gilmore,  I  have  all  sorts  of  iced  drinks  ready  for  you." 

Alice  and  Will  soon  became  excellent  friends.  She 
took  him  over  the  plantations  and  showed  him  the  negro 
cabins,  fed  him  with  fruit  until  he  almost  fell  ill,3  and, 
as  he  said,  treated  him  more  like  a  baby  than  as  an  officer 
in  His  Majesty's  service. 

"The  stars  don't  look  so  bright  to-night,"  Will  said,  as 
he  stood  on  the  veranda  with  Mr.  Palethorpe  on  the  last 
evening  of  his  visit. 

"No,  I  have  been  noticing  it  myself,  and  I  don't  like 
the  look  of  the  weather  at  all." 


178  BY  CONDUCT  AND  COURAGE 

"No !"  Will  repeated  in  surprise ;  "it  certainly  looks  as 
if  there  was  a  slight  mist." 

"Yes,  that  is  what  it  looks  like,  hut  at  this  time  of  year 
we  don't  often  have  mists.  I  am  afraid  we  are  going  to 
have  a  hurricane;  it  is  overdue  now  by  nearly  a  month. 
October,  November,  and  the  first  half  of  December  are 
the  hurricane  months,  and  I  fear  that,  as  it  is  late,  we 
shall  have  a  heavy  one/' 

"I  have  seen  one  since  I  came  out,  and  then  we  were 
at  sea  and  were  nearly  wrecked.  I  saw  its  effects  on  land, 
however,  for  we  spent  some  weeks  ashore  in  consequence 
of  it.  The  forest  was  almost  levelled.  I  certainly  should 
not  care  to  see  another  one." 

"No,  it  is  not  a  thing  that  anyone  would  wish  to  see  a 
second  time.  Words  cannot  describe  how  terrible  they 
are.  I  hope,  however,  if  we  have  one,  that  it  will  be  a  light 
one,  but  I  am  rather  afraid  of  it." 

Nothing  more  was  said  on  the  matter  till  they  retired 
to  bed,  when  Mr.  Palethorpe  said,  half  in  fun  and  half  in 
earnest :  "I  should  advise  you  to  have  your  clothes  handy 
by  your  bedside,  Mr.  Gilmore,  for  you  may  want  them 
quickly  and  badly  if  a  hurricane  comes." 

Will  laughed  to  himself  at  the  warning,  but  nevertheless 
took  the  advice.  He  had  been  asleep  for  an  hour  when  he 
felt  the  whole  house  rock.  A  moment  later  the  roof  blew 
bodily  from  over  his  head,  and  at  the  same  time  there 
was  a  roar  so  terrible  that  he  did  not  even  hear  the  crash 
of  the  falling  timber.  He  leapt  out  of  bed,  seized  his 
clothes,  and  hurried  down.  He  met  Mr.  Palethorpe 
-coming  from  his  daughter's  room,  carrying  her  wrapped 
up  in  her  bed-clothes.  They  went  down  together  to  the 


A   SPELL   ASHORE  179 

front  door.  Will  turned  the  handle,  and  the  door  was 
blown  in  with  a  force  that  knocked  him  to  the  floor.  He 
struggled  to  his  feet  again  and  tried  to  get  out,  but  the 
force  of  the  wind  was  so  tremendous  that  for  some  time 
he  could  not  stem  it.  When  he  did  manage  to  get  through 
the  doorway  he  saw  Mr.  Palethorpe  standing  some  distance 
from  the  house.  He  fought  his  way  towards  him  against 
the  wind. 

"Are  you  not  going  to  get  into  shelter?"  he  shouted  in 
the  planter's  ear. 

"It  is  safer  here  in  the  open/'  the  planter  said ;  "I  dare 
not  get  below  a  tree,  but  I  will  put  my  daughter  in  a  place 
where  she  will  be  safe." 

Struggling  along  against  the  gale,  he  led  the  way  to  a 
small  shed  where  the  gardener's  tools  were  kept.  It  was 
about  six  feet  long  and  three  broad,  and  was  built  of 
bricks.  The  floor  was  some  feet  below  the  surface  of  the 
ground,  so  in  entering  one  had  to  descend  a  short  flight 
of  steps. 

"Just  hold  my  daughter  on  her  feet/'  the  planter  said, 
"while  I  clear  this  place  out." 

Much  as  he  tried,  Will  was  unable  to  keep  the  girl  up- 
right, and  after  a  vain  effort  he  allowed  her  to  sink  down 
on  her  knees  and  then  knelt  by  her  side.  As  soon  as  he 
had  cleared  away  the  tools  Mr.  Palethorpe  came  up  and 
carried  her  down  into  the  shed. 

"I  think  we  are  quite  safe  here,"  he  said;  "the  wall  is 
only  two  feet  above  the  ground,  so  even  this  gale  will  not 
shake  us.  The  roof  is  strongly  put  together  to  keep  out 
marauders.  Now,  Mr.  Gilmore,  there  is  room  for  us  to 
crouch  inside ;  it  is  the  only  place  of  safety  I  know  of,  for 


180  BY   CONDUCT   AND   COUKAGE 

even  in  the  open  we  might  he  struck  hy  the  flying  branches 
torn  from  the  trees.  Besides,  it  will  be  a  comfort  to  Alice 
to  know  that  we  are  in  safety  beside  her." 

They  spoke  only  occasionally,  for  the  roar  of  the  tempest 
was  deafening.  Every  now  and  then  they  would  hear  a 
crash  as  some  tree  yielded  to  the  force  of  the  hurricane. 
Towards  morning  the  gale  abated,  and  soon  after  sunrise 
the  wind  suddenly  stilled.  When  they  looked  out  a  scene 
of  terrible  devastation  met  their  eyes.  Some  trees  had 
been  torn  up  by  the  roots,  and  branches  twisted  from 
others  were  strewed  upon  the  ground  everywhere.  The 
house  was  a  wreck;  the  whole  of  the  roof  was  gone,  and 
parts  of  the  wall  had  been  blown  down.  Inside  there  was 
utter  confusion;  the  furniture  was  scattered  about  in  all 
directions,  and  even  looking-glasses  had  been  torn  from 
the  walls  and  smashed.  The  planter,  however,  wasted  but 
little  time  in  looking  at  the  wreck. 

"You  had  better  go  up  and  dress  at  once,  Alice,"  he  said, 
"though  you  will  have  some  trouble  in  finding  your 
clothes.  I  have  no  doubt  that  all  the  loose  ones  are  scat- 
tered about  everywhere,  and  that  some  of  the  things  are 
miles  away.  I  will  go  down  with  Will  at  once  to  the  slave- 
huts;  but  I  am  afraid  the  damage  and  loss  of  life  there 
has  been  great." 

During  his  passage  from  the  house  to  the  shed  the  wind 
had  several  times  threatened  to  tear  Will's  clothes  from  his 
arms,  but  he  had  clung  to  them  with  might  and  main,  and 
succeeded  in  carrying  them  safely  into  shelter.  He  had 
therefore  been  able  to  dress  while  they  waited  for  the  storm 
to  abate.  Mr.  Palethorpe  had  felt  so  sure  that  a  hurricane 
was  impending  that  he  had  simply  lain  down  on  his  bed 


A   SPELL   ASHORE  181 

without  taking  off  his  clothes.  Accordingly  they  started 
at  once  for  the  slave-huts.  As  they  had  expected,  the 
destruction  there  was  complete.  Every  hut  had  been  blown 
down.  The  negroes,  who  had  fled  to  various  places  for 
shelter,  were  just  returning,  and  Mr.  Palethorpe  soon 
learned  from  them  that  many  were  missing.  He  at  once 
set  all  hands  to  remove  the  fallen  timbers,  and  after  two 
hours7  work  sixteen  dead  bodies  were  recovered,  for  the 
most  part  children,  and  nearly  as  many  injured.  Some, 
also,  of  those  who  had  come  in  had  broken  limbs. 

Alice  came  down  as  soon  as  she  was  dressed,  and 
brought  a  bundle  of  sheets,  needles,  and  thread,  and  Mr. 
Palethorpe  took  off  his  coat  and  set  to  work  to  bind  and 
bandage  the  limbs  and  wounds.  Alice  suggested  that  a 
man  on  horseback  should  be  sent  down  to  the  town  for  a 
surgeon,  but  her  father  pointed  out  that  it  would  be  abso- 
lutely useless  to  do  so,  as,  judging  by  what  they  could  see, 
the  destruction  wrought  in  the  town  would  be  terrible. 
Every  surgeon  would  have  his  hands  full,  and  certainly 
none  would  be  able  to  spare  time  to  come  into  the  country. 
He  decided  to  have  all  the  worst  cases  carried  down  to  the 
town  and  seen  to  there;  slighter  cases  he  could  deal  with 
himself. 

"I  don't  know  much  about  bandaging  wounds,"  he  said, 
"but  I  know  a  little,  and  some  of  the  native  women  are 
very  good  at  nursing." 

Alice,  aided  by  the  negresses,  tore  up  the  linen  into  strips 
and  sewed  these  together  to  make  bandages.  Canes  split 
up  formed  excellent  splints.  Will  rendered  all  the  assist- 
ance in  his  power.  Now  he  held  splints  in  position  while 
Mr.  Palethorpe  wound  the  bandages  round  them,  and  now 


182  BY   CONDUCT   AND  COURAGE 

he  helped  to  distribute  among  the  wounded  the  soothing 
drinks  that  the  servants  of  the  house  brought  down. 

"What  are  you  going  to  do  now?"  he  asked  as  the  last 
bandage  had  been  applied. 

"I  will  drive  down  to  the  town  and  see  how  things  are 
doing  there.  Peter  tells  me  that  two  of  my  horses  are 
killed,  but  the  other  two  seemed  to  have  escaped  without 
injury,  as  the  part  of  the  stable  in  which  they  stood  was 
sheltered  by  a  huge  tree,  which  lost  its  head,  but  was 
fortunately  otherwise  uninjured.  You  had  better  come 
down  with  us,  Alice ;  we  must  stop  at  our  house  in  town  till 
things  are  put  straight  here.  I  will,  of  course,  ride  back- 
wards and  forwards  every  day/' 

"Can't  I  be  of  some  help  here,  father?" 

"None  at  all;  by  nightfall  the  slaves  will  have  built 
temporary  shelters  of  canes  and  branches  of  trees.  The 
overseer  is  among  those  who  were  killed;  he  was  on  his 
way  from  his  house  to  the  huts  when  a  branch  struck  him 
on  the  head  and  killed  him  on  the  spot.  I  will  put  Sambo 
in  his  place  for  the  present;  he  is  a  very  reliable  man, 
and  I  can  trust  him  to  issue  the  stores  to  the  negroes 
daily.  I  am  afraid  it  will  be  some  time  before  we  get  the 
house  put  right  again,  as  there  will  be  an  immense  demand 
for  carpenters  in  the  town.  We  may  feel  very  thankful, 
however,  that  we  have  got  a  house  there.  It  is  a  good 
strong  one,  built  of  stone,  so  we  may  hope  to  find  it 
intact." 

The  carriage  was  brought  round  and  they  took  their 
seats  in  it.  The  planter  ordered  two  strong  negroes  to 
get  axes  and  to  stand  on  the  steps,  and  when  all  was  ready 
they  started.  The  journey  was  long  and  broken;  at  every 


TOM   AND   DIMCHURCH    MADE   A    DESPERATE   DEFENCE. 


A   SPELL   ASHORE  183 

few  yards  trees  had  fallen  across  the  road,  and  these  had 
to  be  chopped  through  and  removed  before  the  carriage 
could  pass.  It  was  therefore  late  in  the  day  before  they 
reached  the  town.  Will  could  not  help  grieving  at  the 
terrible  destruction  wrought  in  the  forest.  In  some  places 
acres  of  ground  had  been  cleared  of  the  trees,  in  others 
the  trunks  and  branches  lay  piled  in  an  inextricable  chaos. 
All  the  huts  and  cottages  they  passed  on  their  way  were  in 
ruins,  and  their  former  inhabitants  were  standing  list- 
lessly gazing  at  the  destruction.  Mr.  Palethorpe  had 
placed  in  the  carriage  two  gallon  jars  of  spirits  and  a 
large  quantity  of  bread,  and  these  he  had  distributed 
among  the  forlorn  inhabitants  while  his  men  were  chop- 
ping a  road  through  the  trees. 

When  they  arrived  in  the  town  they  beheld  a  terrible 
scene  of  devastation.  The  streets  occupied  by  the  dwellings 
of  well-to-do  inhabitants  had,  for  the  most  part,  escaped, 
but  in  the  suburbs,  where  the  poorer  part  of  the  population 
dwelt,  the  havoc  was  something  terrible.  Parties  of 
soldiers  and  sailors  were  hard  at  work  here,  clearing  the 
ruins  away  and  bringing  out  the  dead  and  injured.  Will, 
after  saying  good-bye  to  his  friends  at  their  door,  joined 
one  of  these  parties,  and  until  late  at  night  laboured  by 
torchlight.  At  midnight  he  went  to  Mr.  Palethorpe's  house, 
to  which  he  had  promised  to  return,  and  slept  till  morn- 
ing. Two  long  days  were  occupied  in  this  work,  and  even 
then  there  was  much  to  be  done  in  the  way  of  clearing 
the  streets  of  the  debris  and  restoring  order.  Not  until 
this  was  finished  did  Will  cease  from  his  labours.  He 
then  drove  up  with  Mr.  Palethorpe  to  his  estate.  They 
found  that  a  great  deal  of  progress  had  been  made  there, 


184  BY  CONDUCT  AND  COUKAGE 

and  that  a  gang  of  workmen  were  already  engaged  in  pre- 
paring to  replace  the  roof  and  to  restore  the  house  to  its 
former  condition.  The  slaves  were  still  in  their  tem- 
porary homes,  but  with  their  usual  light-heartedness  had 
already  recovered  from  the  effects  of  their  shock  and 
losses,  and  seemed  as  merry  and  happy  as  usual. 

On  his  return  to  Port  Koyal,  Will  was  the  object  of  the 
greatest  attentions  on  the  part  of  the  other  passengers  of 
the  Northumberland,  and  received  so  many  invitations  to 
dinner  that  he  was  obliged  to  ask  the  admiral  to  allow 
him  to  give  up  his  leave  and  to  take  another  short  cruise 
in  LJ 'Agile,  promising  that  if  he  did  so  he  would  take  good 
care  not  to  capture  any  more  prizes.  The  admiral  con- 
sented, and  in  a  few  days  the  cutter  set  sail  once  more. 

After  they  had  been  out  a  month  Will  found  it  necessary 
to  put  in  to  get  water.  He  chose  a  spot  where  a  little 
stream  could  be  seen  coming  down  from  the  mountains 
and  losing  itself  in  the  shingle,  and  he  rowed  ashore  and 
set  some  of  his  men  to  fill  the  barrels.  When  he  saw  the 
work  fairly  under  way  he  started  to  walk  along  the  shore 
with  Dimchurch  and  Tom.  They  had  gone  but  a  short 
distance  when  a  number  of  negroes  rushed  suddenly  out 
upon  them.  Will  had  just  time  to  discharge  his  pistols 
before  he  was  knocked  senseless  by  a  negro  armed  with  a 
bludgeon.  Tom  and  Dimchurch  stood  over  him  and  made 
a  desperate  defence,  and  just  before  they  were  overpowered 
Dimchurch  shouted  at  the  top  of  his  voice :  "Pnt  off,  we 
are  captured,"  for  he  saw  that  the  number  of  their  assail- 
ants was  so  great  that  it  would  only  be  sacrificing  the 
crew  to  call  them  to  their  assistance.  They  were  bound 
and  carried  away  by  the  exulting  negroes. 


A   SPELL   ASHORE  185 

"This  is  a  bad  job,"  Will  said  when  he  came  to  his 
senses. 

"A  mighty  bad  job,  Master  Will.  Who  are  these  niggers, 
do  you  think?" 

"I  suppose  they  are  escaped  slaves;  there  are  certainly 
many  of  them  in  the  mountains  of  Cuba.  I  suppose  they 
saw  us  sailing  in,  and  came  down  from  the  hills  in  the 
hope  of  capturing  some  of  us.  It  is  likely  enough  they 
take  us  for  pirates,  who  are  a  constant  scourge  to  them, 
capturing  them  in  their  little  fishing-boats  and  either  cut- 
ting their  throats  or  forcing  them  to  serve  with  them.  I 
am  afraid  we  shall  have  but  very  little  opportunity  of  ex- 
plaining matters  to  them,  for,  of  course,  they  don't  speak 
English,  and  none  of  us  understand  a  word  of  Spanish." 

They  were  carried  up  the  hill  and  thrown  down  in  a 
small  clearing  on  the  summit.  Will  in  vain  endeavoured 
to  address  them  in  English,  but  received  no  attention 
whatever. 

"What  do  you  think  they  are  going  to  do  with  us,  sir  ?" 
Dimchurch  asked. 

"Well,  I  should  say  that  they  are  most  likely  going  to 
burn  us  alive,  or  put  us  to  death  in  some  other  devilish 
way." 

"Well,  sir,  I  don't  think  these  niggers  know  much  about 
tying  ropes.  It  seems  to  me  that  I  could  get  free  without 
much  trouble." 

"Could  you,  Dimchurch  ?  I  can't  say  as  much,  for  mine 
are  knotted  so  tightly  that  I  cannot  move  a  finger." 

"That  won't  matter,  sir.  If  I  can  shift  out  of  mine  I 
have  got  my  jack-knife  in  my  pocket,  and  can  make  short 
work  of  your  ropes  and  Tom's." 


186  BY  CONDUCT  AND  COURAGE 

"Well,  try  then,  Dimchurch.  Half  those  fellows  are 
away  in  the  wood,  and  by  the  sounds  we  hear  they  are 
cutting  brushwood;  so  there  is  no  time  to  lose." 

For  five  minutes  no  remark  was  made,  and  then  Dim- 
church  said:  "I  am  free."  Immediately  afterwards  Will 
felt  his  bonds  fall  off,  and  half  a  minute  later  an  exclama- 
tion of  thankfulness  from  Tom  showed  that  he  too  had 
been  liberated. 

"Now  we  must  all  crawl  towards  the  edge  of  the  forest," 
Will  said,  "and  then,  instead  of  going  straight  down  the 
hill  we  will  turn  off  for  a  short  distance.  They  are  sure 
to  miss  us  immediately,  and  will  believe  that  we  have 
made  direct  for  the  sea." 

They  had  barely  got  into  the  shelter  of  the  forest  when 
they  heard  a  sudden  shout,  so  they  at  once  turned  aside 
and  hid  in  the  brushwood.  A  minute  or  two  later  they 
had  the  satisfaction  of  hearing  the  negroes  rushing  in  a 
body  down  the  hill.  They  waited  until  their  pursuers  had 
covered  a  hundred  yards,  and  then  they  jumped  to  their 
feet  and  held  on  their  way  along  the  hillside  for  nearly  a 
quarter  of  a  mile,  after  which  they  began  to  descend.  Just 
as  they  changed  their  course  they  heard  an  outburst  of 
musketry  fire. 

"Hooray!"  Dimchurch  exclaimed,  "our  fellows  are 
coming  up  the  hill  in  search  of  us.  That's  right,  give  it 
them  hot!  I  guess  they'll  go  back  as  quick  as  they 
came."  They  now  changed  their  direction,  taking  a  line 
that  would  bring  them  to  the  rear  of  their  friends.  The 
firing  soon  ceased,  the  negroes  having  evidently  got  en- 
tirely out  of  sight  of  the  sailors,  but  by  the  shouting  they 
had  no  difficulty  in  ascertaining  the  position  of  the  party, 


A   SPELL   ASHOKE  187 

who  were  pushing  on  up  the  hill,  and  presently  Will  hailed 
them. 

"That  is  the  captain's  voice/'  one  of  the  party  ex- 
claimed, and  then  a  general  cheer  broke  from  the  seamen. 
In  another  two  minutes  they  were  among  their  friends. 
Harman  had  landed  with  three-and-thirty  men,  leaving 
only  five  on  board  LJ Agile.  Great  was  their  rejoicing  on 
finding  that  the  three  missing  men  were  all  safe. 

"We  had  b^ttef  fall  back  now,"  Will  said.  "There  must 
be  at  least  three  hundred  negroes  at  the  top,  and  though 
I  don't  say  we  would  not  beat  them  we  should  certainly 
suffer  some  loss  which  might  well  be  avoided.  There  is 
no  doubt  they  took  us  for  pirates  and  believed  they  were 
going  to  avenge  their  own  wrongs.  So  we  may  as  well 
make  our  way  down  before  their  whole  force  gathers  and 
attacks  us." 

They  retired  at  once  to  the  shore,  and  had  but  just 
taken  their  places  in  the  boats  when  a  crowd  of  negroes 
rushed  down  to  the  beach.  Four  or  five  shots  were  fired, 
but  by  Will's  order  no  reply  was  made.  They  pushed  off 
quietly  and  in  a  few  minutes  reached  the  cutter. 

"That  has  been  a  narrow  escape,"  Will  said  when  he 
and  Harman  were  together  again  on  the  quarter-deck ;  "as 
narrow  as  I  ever  wish  to  experience.  If  it  hadn't  been  for 
Dimchurch  I  don't  think  you  would  have  arrived  in  time, 
for  they  were  cutting  brushwood  for  a  fire  on  which  they 
intended  to  roast  us.  Fortunately  he  was  not  so  tightly 
bound  as  we  were,  and  so  managed  to  free  himself  and  us." 

"I  cannot  say  how  thankful  I  was  when  I  heard  your 
voice.  Of  course  we  were  proceeding  only  by  guesswork, 
and  could  only  hope  that  we  should  find  you  at  the  top 


188  BY   CONDUCT   AND   COURAGE 

of  the  hill.  If  they  had  carried  you  any  farther  away  we 
could  not  have  followed.  I  was  turning  this  over  in  my 
mind  as  we  advanced,  when  we  heard  the  rushing  of  a 
large  number  of  men  down  the  hill  towards  us,  and  we 
at  once  concluded  that  you  had  escaped  and  that  they  were 
in  pursuit,  and  as  soon  as  the  negroes  appeared  we  opened 
fire." 

"Well,  all  is  well  that  ends  well.  It  was  very  foolish  of 
me  to  wander  away  from  the  men.  Of  course  there  was 
nothing  whatever  to  tell  us  that  we  were  being  watched, 
but  I  ought  to  have  assumed  that  there  was  a  possibility 
of  such  a  thing  and  not  to  have  run  the  risk.  I'll  be 
mighty  careful  that  I  don't  play  such  a  fool's  trick  again. 
It  was  lucky  that  Dimchurch  shouted  when  he  did  to  the 
watering-party,  otherwise  we  should  have  lost  the  whole 
of  them,  and  with  ten  gone  you  would  have  found  it  very 
hazardous  work  to  land  a  sufficiently  strong  party." 

"I  should  have  tried  if  I  had  only  had  a  dozen  men.  I 
concluded  that  it  must  have  been  negroes  who  had  carried 
you  off,  and  my  only  thought  was  to  rescue  you  before  they 
set  to  work  to  torture  you  in  some  abominable  manner." 

"Well,  I  expect  it  would  soon  have  been  over,  Harman, 
but  certainly  it  would  have  been  a  very  unpleasant  ending. 
To  fall  in  battle  is  a  death  at  which  none  would  grumble, 
but  to  be  burnt  by  fiendish  negroes  would  be  horrible.  Of 
course  every  man  must  run  risks  and  take  his  chances,  but 
one  hardly  bargains  for  being  burnt  alive.  It  makes  my 
flesh  creep  to  think  of  it,  more  now,  I  fancy,  than  when  I 
was  face  to  face  with  it.  When  I  was  lying  helpless  on  the 
hill,  there  seemed  something  unreal  about  it,  and  I  could 
not  appreciate  the  position,  but  now  that  I  think  of  it  in 


A   SPELL   ASHORE  189 

cold  blood  it  makes  me  shiver.  I  will  take  your  watch 
to-night;  I  am  quite  sure  that  if  I  did  get  to  sleep  I 
should  have  a  terrible  nightmare." 

"I  can  quite  understand  that  you  would  rather  be  on 
deck  than  lying  down  and  trying  to  sleep.  I  am  sure  I 
should  do  so  myself,  and  even  now  the  thought  of  the 
peril  you  were  in  makes  me  shudder." 

For  a  time  L' Agile  cruised  off  the  shore  of  Cuba,  effect- 
ing a  few  small  captures,  but  none  of  importance.  Finally 
she  fell  in  with  three  French  frigates  and  was  chased  for 
two  days,  but  succeeded  in  giving  her  pursuers  the  slip  by 
running  between  two  small  islands  under  cover  of  night. 
The  passage  was  very  shallow,  and  the  Frenchmen  were 
unable  to  follow,  and  before  they  could  make  a  circuit  of 
the  islands  U  Agile  was  out  of  sight.  When  the  cutter  at 
length  returned  to  Jamaica  the  admiral  decided  to  lay 
her  up  for  a  time,  and  the  crew  was  broken  up  and 
retransferred  to  the  vessels  to  which  they  belonged. 

Will  was  greeted  with  enthusiasm  when  he  rejoined  the 
Hawke. 

"You  certainly  have  singular  luck,  Gilmore,"  said 
Latham,  who  was  the  Hawke's  master's  mate.  "Here  we 
have  been  cruising  and  cruising,  till  we  are  sick  of  the 
sight  of  islands,  without  picking  up  a  prize  of  importance, 
while  you  have  been  your  own  master,  and  have  made  a 
fortune.  And  now,  just  as  there  is  a  rumour  that  we  are 
to  go  home  you  rejoin/' 

A  few  weeks  after  this  conversation  the  HawTce  received 
orders  to  sail  for  Portsmouth,  and  after  a  long  and  weari- 
some voyage  arrived  home  late  in  the  summer  of  the  year 
1793. 


190  BY  CONDUCT  AND  COUKAGE 

CHAPTEK   X 

BACK  AT   SCARCOMBB 

THE  news  of  their  destination  had  created  great  satis- 
faction among  the  crew,  as  there  was  little  honour 
or  prize-money  to  be  gained,  and  the  vessel  had  been  for 
some  time  incessantly  engaged  in  hunting  for  foes  that 
were  never  found.  Not  the  least  pleased  was  Will.  He 
had  left  England  a  friendless  ship's-boy;  he  returned 
home  a  midshipman/  with  a  most  creditable  record,  and 
with  a  fortune  that,  when  he  left  the  service,  would  enable 
him  to  live  in  more  than  comfort. 

On  arriving  at  Portsmouth  the  crew  were  at  once  paid 
off,  and  Will  was  appointed  to  the  Tartar,  a  thirty-four 
gun  frigate.  On  hearing  the  name  of  the  ship,  Dimchurch 
and  Tom  Stevens  at  once  volunteered.  They  were  given 
a  fortnight's  leave;  so  Will,  with  Tom  Stevens,  deter- 
mined to  take  a  run  up  to  Scarcombe,  and  the  same  day 
took  coach  to  London.  Dimchurch  said  he  should  spend 
his  time  in  Portsmouth,  as  there  was  no  one  up  in  the 
north  he  cared  to  see,  especially  as  it  would  take  eight 
days  out  of  his  fortnight's  leave  to  go  to  his  native  place 
and  back. 

On  the  fourth  day  after  leaving  London  the  two  travel- 
lers reached  Scarborough.  Tom  Stevens  started  at  once, 
with  his  kit  on  a  stick,  to  walk  to  the  village,  while  Will 
made  enquiries  for  the  house  of  Mrs.  Archer,  which  was 
Miss  Warden's  married  name.  Without  much  trouble  he 


BACK   AT   SCARCOMBB  191 

made  his  way  to  it;  and  when  the  servant  answered  his 
knock  he  said:  "I  wish  to  see  Mrs.  Archer." 

"What  name,  sir?"  the  girl  said  respectfully,  struck  with 
the  appearance  of  the  tall  young  fellow  in  a  naval  uniform. 

"I  would  rather  not  say  the  name/'  Will  said.  "Please 
just  say  that  a  gentleman  wishes  to  speak  to  her." 

"Will  you  come  this  way?"  the  girl  said,  leading  him 
to  a  sitting-room.  A  minute  later  Mrs.  Archer  appeared. 
She  bowed  and  asked :  "What  can  I  do  for  you,  sir  ?" 

"Then  you  do  not  know  me,  madam?"  said  Will. 

She  looked  at  him  carefully.  "I  certainly  do  not,"  she 
said,  and  after  a  pause :  "Why,  it  can't  be ! — yes,  it  is — 
Willie  Gilmore !" 

"It  is,  madam,  but  no  doubt  changed  out  of  all  recog- 
nition." 

"I  have  from  time  to  time  got  your  letters,"  said  Mrs. 
Archer,  "and  learned  from  them  with  pleasure  and  sur- 
prise that  you  had  become  an  officer,  but  never  pictured 
you  as  grown  and  changed  in  this  way.  I  hope  you  have 
got  my  letters  in  return?" 

"I  only  got  one,  Mrs.  Archer,  and  it  reached  me  just 
before  we  sailed  from  the  Mediterranean  two  years  ago.  I 
was  not  surprised,  however,  for  of  course  the  post  is 
extremely  uncertain.  It  is  only  very  seldom  that  letters 
reach  a  ship  on  a  foreign  station." 

"Dear,  dear,  you  have  lost  some  fingers !"  Mrs.  Archer 
cried,  suddenly  noticing  Will's  left  hand.  "How  sad,  to 
be  sure!" 

"That  is  quite  an  old  story,  Mrs.  Archer.  I  lost  them  at 
the  attempt  to  capture  St.  Pierre,  and  am  so  accustomed 
to  the  loss  now  that  I  hardly  notice  it.  It  is  surprising 


192  BY    CONDUCT   AND   COURAGE 


how  one  can  do  without  a  thing.  I  have  to  be  thankful, 
indeed,  that  it  was  the  left  hand  instead  of  the  right,  as, 
had  it  been  the  other  way,  I  should  probably  have  had  to 
leave  the  navy,  which  would  have  meant  ruin  to  me." 

"It  is  all  very  well  to  make  light  of  it/'  she  said,  "but 
you  must  feel  it  a  great  drawback." 

"Well,  you  see,  Mrs.  Archer,  the  loss  of  three  fingers  is 
of  course  terrible  for  a  sailor,  who  has  to  row,  pull  at 
ropes,  scrub  decks,  and  do  work  of  all  sorts ;  but  an  officer 
does  not  have  to  do  manual  work  of  any  kind,  and  hardly 
feels  such  a  loss,  except,  perhaps,  at  meals.  I  am  going 
to  sea  again  almost  directly,  but  the  first  time  I  have  a 
long  holiday  I  shall  have  some  false  fingers  fitted  on,  more 
for  the  sake  of  avoiding  being  stared  at  than  for  any- 
thing else." 

"Well,  I  am  more  than  pleased  at  seeing  you  again, 
Willie.  It  is  so  natural  for  me  to  call  you  that,  that  it 
will  be  some  time  before  I  can  get  out  of  it.  So  you  have 
got  on  very  well?" 

"Entirely  owing  to  you,  Mrs.  Archer,  as  I  told  you  in 
the  first  letter  I  wrote  to  you  after  I  got  my  promotion. 
You  taught  me  to  like  study,  and  were  always  ready  to 
help  me  on  with  my  work,  and  it  was  entirely  owing  to 
my  having  learned  so  much,  especially  mathematics,  that 
I  was  able  to  attract  the  attention  of  the  officers  and  to 
get  put  on  the  quarter-deck.  I  have,  I  am  happy  to  say, 
done  very  well,  and  I  am  sure  of  my  step  as  soon  as  I  have 
passed. 

"I  had  the  extraordinary  good  fortune,"  he  said,  after 
chatting  for  some  time,  "to  be  put  in  command  of  a  prize 
that  had  been  taken  from  some  pirates,  and  was  thus  able 


BACK   AT   SCARCOMBE  193 

to  earn  a  good  deal  of  prize-money.  But  nothing  has 
given  me  greater  pleasure  since  I  went  away  than  the  pur- 
chasing of  this  little  present  for  you  as  a  token,  though  a 
very  poor  one,,  of  my  gratitude  to  you  for  your  kindness ;" 
and  he  handed  her  a  little  case  containing  a  diamond 
brooch,,  for  which  he  had  paid  one  hundred  and  fifty 
pounds  as  he  came  through  London. 

"Willie!"  she  exclaimed  in  surprise  as  she  opened  it, 
"how  could  you  think  of  huying  such  a  valuable  ornament 
for  me?" 

"I  should  have  liked  to  buy  something  more  valuable/' 
he  said.  "If  I  had  paid  half  my  prize-money  it  would 
only  have  been  fair,  for  I  should  never  have  won  it  but 
for  you." 

"I  have  nothing  nearly  so  valuable,"  she  said.  "Well, 
now,  you  must  take  up  your  abode  with  us  while  you  stay 
here.  How  long  have  you  ?" 

"I  have  a  fortnight's  leave,  but  it  has  taken  me  four 
days  to  come  down  here,  and  of  course  I  shall  have  to 
allow  as  many  for  the  return  journey.  I  have  therefore 
six  days  to  spare,  and  I  shall  be  very  pleased  indeed  to  stay 
with  you.  I  must,  of  course,  spend  one  day  going  over  to 
the  village  to  see  John  Hammond  and  his  wife.  I  am 
happy  to  say  that  I  shall  be  able  to  make  their  declining 
days  comfortable.  Your  father  is,  I  hope,  well,  Mrs. 
Archer?" 

"Yes,  he  is  going  on  just  as  usual.  I  was  over  there  a 
fortnight  ago.  I  am  sure  he  will  be  very  glad  to  see  you; 
he  always  enquires,  when  I  go  over,  whether  I  have  had  a 
letter  from  you,  and  takes  great  interest  in  your  progress." 

"Tom  Stevens  has  come  back  with  me,  and  has  gone 


194  BY  CONDUCT  AND  COURAGE 

on  to-day  to  the  village.  I  told  him  not  to  mention  about 
my  coming,  as  I  want  to  take  the  old  couple  by  surprise." 

"That  you  certainly  will  do.  Of  course  they  have  aged 
a  little  since  you  went  away,  but  there  is  no  great  change 
in  them.  Ah,  there  is  my  husband's  knock !  Lawrence/' 
she  said,  as  he  entered,  "this  is  the  village  lad  I  have  so 
often  spoken  to  you  about.  He  has  completely  changed 
in  the  three  years  and  a  half  he  has  been  away.  We  heard, 
you  remember,  that  he  had  become  an  officer,  but  I  was 
quite  unprepared  for  the  change  that  has  come  over  him." 

"I  am  glad  to  see  you,  Mr.  Gilmore.  My  wife  has 
talked  about  you  so  often  that  I  quite  seem  to  know  you 
myself,  but,  of  course,  as  I  did  not  know  you  in  those  days 
I  can  hardly  appreciate  the  change  that  has  come  over 
you.  One  thing  I  can  say,  however,  and  that  is  that  you 
bear  no  resemblance  whatever  to  a  fisher  lad." 

Will  was  soon  quite  at  home  with  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Archer, 
who  introduced  him  with  pride  as  "our  sailor  boy"  to 
many  of  their  friends.  On  the  third  day  of  his  stay  he 
hired  a  gig  and  drove  over  to  Scarcombe.  Alighting  at 
the  one  little  inn,  he  walked  to  John  Hammond's  cottage, 
watched  on  the  way  by  many  enquiring  eyes,  the  fisher  folk 
wondering  whether  this  was  a  new  revenue  officer.  He 
knocked  at  the  door,  lifted  the  latch,  and  entered.  The 
old  couple  were  sitting  at  the  fire,  and  looked  in  surprise 
at  the  young  officer  standing  at  the  door. 

"Well,  sir,"  John  asked,  "what  can  I  do  for  you?  I 
have  done  with  smuggling  long  ago,  and  you  won't  find 
as  much  as  a  drop  of  brandy  in  my  house." 

"So  I  suppose,  John,"  Will  said;  "your  smuggling 
didn't  do  you  much  good,  did  it  ?" 


BACK   AT   SCARCOMBE  195 

"Well,  sir,  I  don't  see  as  that  is  any  business  of  yours/' 
the  old  man  answered  gruffly.  "I  don't  mind  owning  that 
I  have  handled  many  a  keg  in  my  time,  but  you  can't 
bring  that  against  me  now." 

"I  have  no  intention  of  doing  so,  John.  I  dare  say  you 
gave  it  up  for  good  when  that  dirty  little  boy  who  used  to 
live  with  you  chucked  it  and  got  into  trouble  for  doing  so. 
You  recollect  me,  don't  you,  mother?"  he  said,  as  the  old 
woman  sat  staring  at  him  with  open  eyes. 

"Why,  it  is  Willie  himself !"  she  exclaimed ;  "don't  you 
know  him,  John,  our  boy  Willie,  who  ran  away  and  went 
to  sea?" 

"You  don't  say  it  is  Will !"  the  old  man  said,  getting  up. 

"It  is  Will  sure  enough,"  the  lad  said,  holding  out  his 
hand  first  to  one  and  then  to  the  other.  "He  has  come 
back,  as  you  see,  an  officer." 

"Yes,  Parson  told  us  that.  Well,  well!  Why,  it  was 
only  two  days  ago  that  Tom  Stevens  came  in.  He  has 
growed  to  be  a  fine  young  fellow  too,  and  he  told  us  that 
you  were  well  and  hearty  and  had  been  through  lots  of 
fights.  But  he  didn't  say  nothing  about  your  having  come 
home." 

"Well,  here  I  am,  John;  and  what  is  better,  I  have 
brought  home  some  money  with  me,  and  I  shall  be  able  to 
allow  you  and  the  mother  a  guinea  a  week  as  long  as  you 
live." 

"You  don't  mean  it,  lad !"  the  old  man  said  with  a  gasp 
of  astonishment;  "a  guinea  a  week!  may  the  Lord  be 
praised  !  Do  you  hear  that,  missis  ?  a  guinea  a  week  !" 

"Lord,  Lord,  only  to  think  of  it ;  why,  we  shall  be  down- 
right rich !"  said  his  wife.  "Plenty  of  sugar  and  tea,  a  bit 


196          BY  CONDUCT  AND  COURAGE 

of  meat  when  we  fancy  it,  and  a  drop  of  rum  to  warm  our 
old  bones  on  Saturday  night.  It  is  wonderful,  John.  The 
Lord  be  praised  for  His  mercies !  But  can  you  afford  it, 
Will  ?  We  wouldn't  take  it  from  you  if  you  can't,  not  for 
ever  so." 

"I  can  afford  it  very  well,"  Will  said,  "and  it  will  give 
me  more  pleasure  to  give  it  you  than  to  spend  it  in  any 
other  way.  Now,  mother,  let  us  say  no  more  about  it. 
Here  is  a  guinea  as  a  start,  and  I  wish  you  would  go  to 
the  shop  and  get  some  tea  and  sugar  and  bread  and  butter 
and  a  nice  piece  of  bacon,  and  let  us  have  a  meal  just  as 
we  used  to  do  when  we  had  made  a  good  haul,  or  taken  a 
hand  in  a  successful  run." 

"It  is  three  years  and  a  half  since  I  saw  a  golden 
guinea,"  the  old  woman  said  as  she  put  on  her  bonnet, 
"and  they  won't  believe  their  eyes  at  the  shop  when  I  go 
in  with  it.  You  are  sure  you  would  like  tea  better  than 
beer?" 

"Much  better,  though  if  John  would  prefer  beer,  get  it 
for  him;  but  I  think  we  had  better  put  that  off  till  this 
evening,  then  we  will  have  a  glass  of  something  hot 
together  before  I  start." 

"You  are  not  going  away  so  soon  as  that,  Will,  surely  ?" 
the  old  man  said  when  his  wife  had  left  them. 

"Yes,  John,  this  is  a  short  visit.  I  have  only  four 
days,  and  am  staying  with  Miss  Warden;  that  is  to  say, 
Miss  Warden  that  was.  I  must  go  in  and  see  her  father 
for  a  few  minutes.  We'll  have  plenty  of  time  to  talk 
over  everything  before  I  leave,  which  I  won't  do  till  eight 
o'clock.  I  don't  suppose  you  have  much  to  tell  me,  for  there 
are  not  many  changes  in  a  place  like  this.  This  man, 


BACK   AT   SCARCOMBE  197 

perhaps,  has  lost  his  boat,  and  that  one  his  life,  but  that  is 
about  all.  Now  I  have  gone  through  a  big  lot,  and  have 
many  adventures  to  tell  you." 

"But  how  did  you  come  to  be  made  an  officer,  Will? 
That  is  what  beats  me." 

"Entirely  owing  to  my  work  at  books,  which  you  used 
always  to  be  raging  about.  But  for  that  I  should  have 
remained  before  the  mast  all  my  life.  Now  in  a  couple  of 
years  or  so  Fll  be  a  lieutenant." 

"Well,  well !  one  never  knows  how  things  will  turn  out. 
I  did  think  you  were  wasting  your  time  in  reading,  and 
reading,  and  reading.  I  didn't  see  what  good  so  much 
book-learning  would  do  you;  but  if  it  got  you  made  an 
officer,  there  is  no  doubt  that  you  were  right  and  I  was 
wrong.  But  you  see,  lad,  I  was  never  taught  any  better." 

"It  has  all  turned  out  right,  John,  and  there  is  no  occa- 
sion for  you  to  worry  over  the  past.  I  felt  sure  that  it 
would  do  me  good  some  day,  so  I  stuck  to  it  in  spite  of 
your  scolding,  and  you  will  allow  that  I  was  never  back- 
ward in  turning  out  when  you  wanted  me  for  the  boat." 

"I  will  allow  that,  Will,  allow  it  hearty;  for  there  was 
no  better  boy  in  the  village.  And  so  you  have  been  fight- 
ing, I  suppose,  just  like  Tom  Stevens." 

"Just  the  same,  father.  We  have  been  together  all  the 
time,  and  we  have  come  back  together." 

"And  he  didn't  say  a  word  about  it !"  the  old  man  said. 
"He  talked  about  you  just  as  if  you  were  somewhere  over 
the  sea." 

"I  told  him  not  to  tell,"  Will  said,  "as  I  wanted  to  take 
you  by  surprise." 

"But  he  is  not  an  officer,  Will.    He  is  just  a  sailor  like 


198  BY  CONDUCT  AND  COUKAGE 

those  revenue  men.  How  does  that  come  about?  Didn't 
he  fight  well?" 

"Yes,  no  one  could  fight  better.  If  he  had  had  as  much 
learning  as  I  had  he  would  have  been  made  an  officer  too ; 
but,  you  see,  he  can  hardly  read  or  write,  and,  fight  as  he 
may,  he  will  always  remain  as  he  is.  A  finer  fellow  never 
stepped;  but  because  he  has  no  learning  he  must  always 
remain  before  the  mast." 

"And  you  have  lost  some  fingers,  I  see,  Will." 

"Yes,  they  were  shot  off  by  a  musket-ball  in  the  West 
Indies.  Luckily  it  was  my  left  hand;  so  I  manage  very 
well  without  them." 

"I  hope  you  blew  off  the  fingers  of  the  fellow  that  shot 
you." 

"No,  I  can't  say  who  did  it,  and  indeed  I  never  felt 
anything  at  all  until  some  little  time  after." 

"I  wish  I  had  been  there,"  John  said,  "I  would  have 
had  a  slap  at  him  with  a  musket.  That  was  an  unlucky 
shot,  Will." 

"Well,  I  have  always  considered  it  a  lucky  one,  for  if  it 
had  gone  a  few  inches  on  one  side  it  would  have  probably 
finished  me  altogether." 

"Well,  well,  it  is  wonderful  to  me.  Here  am  I,  an  old 
man,  and  never,  so  far  as  I  can  remember,  been  a  couple 
of  miles  from  Scarcombe,  and  you,  quite  a  young  chap, 
have  been  wandering  and  fighting  all  over  the  world." 

"Not  quite  so  much  as  that,  John,  though  I  have  cer- 
tainly seen  a  good  deal.  But  here  is  mother." 

Mrs.  Hammond  entered  with  a  face  beaming  with  de- 
light. 

"You  never  saw  anyone  so  astonished  as  Mrs.  Smith 


BACK   AT   SCARCOMBE  199 

when  I  went  in  and  ordered  all  those  things.  Her  eyes 
opened  wider  and  wider  as  I  went  on,  and  when  I  offered 
her  the  gold  I  thought  she  would  have  a  fit.  She  took 
it  and  bit  it  to  make  sure  that  it  was  good,  and  then  said : 
'Have  you  found  it,  Mrs.  Hammond,  or  what  good  fortune 
have  you  had  ?'  r' 

"The  best  of  fortunes,  Mrs.  Smith,"  says  I.  "My  boy 
Will  has  come  back  from  the  wars  a  grand  officer,  with 
his  pocket  lined  with  gold,  so  you  will  find  I'll  be  a  better 
customer  to  you  than  I  have  been." 

"  'You  don't  say  so,  Mrs.  Hammond !'  says  she.  CI 
always  thought  he  was  a  nice  boy,  well  spoken  and  civil. 
And  so  he  is  an  officer,  is  he  ?  Only  to  think  of  it !  Well, 
I  am  mighty  pleased  to  hear  it/  and  with  that  I  came 
off  with  my  basket  full  of  provisions.  The  whole  village 
will  be  talking  of  it  before  nightfall.  Mrs.  Smith  is  a 
good  soul,  but  she  is  an  arrant  gossip,  and  you  may  be 
sure  that  the  tale  will  gain  by  the  telling,  and  before  night 
people  will  believe  that  you  have  become  one  of  the  royal 
family." 

In  half  an  hour  a  meal  was  ready — tea,  crisp  slices  of 
fried  bacon,  and  some  boiled  eggs — and  never  did  three 
people  sit  down  to  a  table  in  a  more  delighted  state  of 
mind. 

"My  life,"  the  old  woman  said,  when  at  last  the  meal 
was  finished,  "just  to  think  that  we'll  be  able  to  feed 
every  day  of  the  year  like  this !  Why,  we'll  grow  quite 
young  again,  John;  we  sha'n't  know  ourselves.  We  had 
five  shillings  a  week  before,  and  now  we'll  have  six-and- 
twenty.  I  don't  know  what  we'll  do  with  it.  Why,  we 
didn't  get  that  on  an  average,  not  when  you  were  a  young 


200  BY   CONDUCT   AND  COURAGE 

man  and  as  good  a  fisherman  as  there  was  in  the  village. 
We  did  get  more  sometimes  when  you  made  a  great  haul, 
or  when  a  cargo  was  run,  but  then,  more  often,  when 
times  were  bad,  we  had  to  live  on  fish  for  weeks  together/' 

"Now,  missis,  clear  away  the  things  and  reach  me  down 
my  pipe  from  the  mantel,  and  we'll  hear  Will's  tales.  I'll 
warrant  me  they  will  be  worth  listening  to." 

When  the  table  was  cleared  the  old  woman  put  some 
more  coal  on  the  fire  and  they  sat  round  it,  the  old  folk 
one  on  each  side,  with  Will  in  the  middle.  Then  Will 
told  his  adventures,  the  fight  with  the  French  frigate,  the 
battle  with  the  three  Moorish  pirates,  how  he  had  had  the 
luck  to  save  the  first  lieutenant's  life  and  so  obtained  his 
promotion,  and  how  the  next  prize  they  took  was  recap- 
tured, but  that  he  and  a  portion  of  the  crew  again  over- 
came the  Moors.  Then  he  related  how  he  had  had  the 
good  fortune  to  obtain  the  command  of  a  prize,  with  forty 
men  and  another  midshipman  under  him,  and  gave  a  vivid 
account  of  the  adventures  he  had  gone  through  while 
cruising  about  in  her. 

"Well,  well !"  John  Hammond  said,  when  he  brought 
his  story  to  a  conclusion,  "you  have  had  goings-on.  To 
think  that  a  boy  like  you  should  command  a  vessel  and 
forty  men,  and  should  take  three  pirates." 

"But  the  most  awful  part  of  it  all,"  the  old  woman  said, 
"is  about  them  black  negroes  that  carried  you  off  and  were 
going  to  burn  you  alive.  Lor',  I'll  dream  of  it  at  nights." 

"I  hope  not,  missis,"  John  said.  "You  dream  more 
than  enough  now,  and  wake  me  up  with  your  jumps  and 
starts,  and  give  me  a  lot  of  trouble  to  pacify  you  and  con- 
vince you  that  you  have  only  been  dreaming.  I  am  sorry, 


BACK   AT   SCARCOMBE  201 

Will,  that  you  told  us  about  those  niggers.  I  know  I'll 
have  lots  of  trouble  over  it.  Generally  all  she  has  had 
to  dream  about  has  been  that  my  boat  was  sinking,  or  that 
the  revenue  officers  had  taken  me  and  were  going  to 
hang  me;  but  that  will  be  nothing  to  this  'ere  negro 
business." 

"They  are  terrible  creatures  these  negroes,  ain't  they?" 
the  old  woman  said.  "I  have  heard  tell  that  they  have 
horns  and  hoofs  like  the  devil." 

"No,  no,  mother,  they  are  not  so  bad  as  that,  and  they 
don't  have  tails,  either.  They  are  not  good-looking  men 
for  all  that,  and  they  look  specially  ugly  when  they  are 
gathering  firewood  to  make  a  bonfire  of  you." 

"For  goodness'  sake  don't  say  more  about  them;  it 
makes  me  all  come  over  in  a  sweat  to  think  about  them." 

Just  at  this  moment  Tom  Stevens  came  in  and  sat  and 
chatted  for  some  time.  Will  asked  him  to  come  in  again 
later  and  bring  with  him  a  bottle  of  the  best  spirits  he 
could  find  in  the  village. 

"I'll  warrant  I  will  get  some  good  stuff,"  Tom  said. 
"There  are  plenty  of  kegs  of  the  best  hidden  away  in  the 
village,  and  I  think  I  know  where  to  lay  my  hand  on  one 
of  them." 

Will  then  went  to  the  rectory  and  had  a  chat  with  Mr. 
Warden,  who  was  unaffectedly  glad  to  see  him. 

"I  never  quite  approved,"  he  said,  "of  my  daughter's 
hobby  of  educating  you,  but  I  now  see  that  she  was  per- 
fectly right.  I  thought  myself  that  at  best  you  would 
obtain  some  small  clerkship,  and  that  your  life  would  be  a 
happier  one  as  a  fisherman.  It  has,  however,  turned  out 
admirably  well,  and  she  has  a  right  to  be  proud  of  her 


202          BY  CONDUCT  AND  COUKAGE 

pupil.  After  the  way  you  have  begun  there  is  nothing  in 
your  own  line  to  which  you  may  not  attain." 

"I  wanted  to  ask  you,  Mr.  Warden,  what  you  could  re- 
member about  my  father.  My  own  recollection  of  him  is 
very  dim.  I  am  going  to  sea  again  in  a  week,  but  next 
time  I  return  I'll  have  a  longer  spell  on  shore,  and  I  am 
resolved  to  make  an  effort  to  discover  who  he  was." 

"I  fear  that  is  quite  hopeless,  but  I  will  certainly  tell 
you  all  I  know  about  him.  I  saw  him,  of  course,  many 
times  in  the  village.  He  was  a  tall  thin  man  with  what  I 
might  call  a  devil-may-care,  and  at  the  same  time  a  mourn- 
ful expression.  I  have  no  doubt  that  had  his  death  not 
been  so  sudden  he  would  have  told  you  something  about 
himself.  I  have  his  effects  tied  up  in  a  bundle.  I  ex- 
amined them  at  the  time,  but  there  was  nothing  of  any 
value  in  them  except  a  signet-ring.  It  bore  a  coat-of- 
arms  with  a  falcon  at  the  top.  I  intended  to  hand  this 
to  you  when  you  grew  up,  but  of  course  you  left  so  sud- 
denly that  I  had  no  opportunity  to  do  so.  I  will  give  you 
the  bundle  now." 

"Thank  you  very  much,  sir!  That  ring  may  be  the 
means  of  discovering  my  identity.  Of  course  I  have  no 
time  to  make  enquiries  now,  but  when  I  next  return  I 
will  advertise  largely  and  offer  a  reward  for  information. 
It  is  not  that  I  want  to  thrust  myself  on  any  family,  or 
to  raise  any  claim,  but  I  should  like,  for  my  own  satis- 
faction, to  know  that  I  come  of  a  decent  family." 

"That  is  very  natural,"  the  clergyman  said;  "but  were 
I  you  I  should  not  hope  to  be  successful.  You  see,  nearly 
thirteen  years  have  elapsed  since  his  death,  and  he  may 
have  been  wandering  about  for  three  or  four  years  before. 


BACK   AT    SCARCOMBE  203 

That  is  a  long  time  to  elapse  before  making  any  en- 
quiries." 

"That  may  be  so,  but  if  these  arms  belong,  as  I  suppose, 
to  a  good  family,  there  must  be  others  bearing  them,  and 
an  advertisement  of  a  lost  member  of  it  might  at  once 
catch  their  eye,  and  might  very  possibly  bring  a  reply. 
Besides,  surely  there  must  be  some  place  where  a  record  is 
kept  of  these  things." 

"I  do  not  know  that,  but  I  am  sure  I  wish  you  success 
in  your  search,  and  can  well  understand  that,  now  you 
are  an  officer  in  His  Majesty's  navy,  you  would  like  to 
claim  relationship  with  some  big  family." 

"Quite  so,  sir.  Of  course  I  cannot  imagine  how  it  was 
my  father  came  to  be  in  such  reduced  circumstances." 

"I  should  say,  Will,  that  he  quarrelled  with  his  father, 
perhaps  over  his  marriage,  and  left  home  in  a  passion.  He 
was  a  man  who,  I  could  well  imagine,  when  he  once  quar- 
relled, would  not  be  likely  to  take  the  first  step  to  make 
it  up." 

"Perhaps  that  was  it,  sir.  Well,  I  am  exceedingly 
obliged  to  you,  and  will,  you  may  be  sure,  investigate  the 
(contents  of  the  bundle  carefully." 

Eeturning  to  the  cottage,  Will  found  Tom  Stevens 
already  there  with  a  small  keg  of  brandy. 

"This  is  good  stuff,  Will,"  he  said;  "it  has  been  lying 
hidden  for  eight  years,  and  was  some  of  the  choicest 
landed.  I  got  it  as  a  favour,  and  had  to  pay  pretty  high 
for  it ;  but  I  knew  you  would  not  stick  at  the  price." 

"Certainly  not,  I  wanted  the  best  that  could  be  got. 
Now,  mother,  mix  us  three  good  stiff  tumblers,  and  take 
a  glass  for  yourself." 


204  BY  CONDUCT  AND  COURAGE 

"It  is  twenty  year  since  I  tasted  spirits/'  the  old  woman 
said,  "though  John  has  often  got  a  drop  after  a  successful 
run ;  but  this  afternoon  I  don't  mind  if  I  do  try  a  little,  if 
it  is  only  to  put  the  thought  of  them  bonfiring  negroes  out 
of  my  mind." 

"I  hope  it  will  have  that  effect/'  Will  laughed. 

"Now,  John,  I  told  you  about  my  adventures;  let  me 
hear  a  little  village  gossip." 

John's  tale  was  not  a  very  long,  nor,  it  must  be  owned,  a 
very  interesting  one.  Mary  Johnson,  Elizabeth  Cruik- 
shank,  Mary  Leaper,  and  Susie  Thurston  had  all  had 
boys,  while  there  had  been  five  girls  born.  It  was  not 
necessary,  however,  to  specify  the  names  of  their  mothers, 
as  girls  were  considered  quite  secondary  persons  in  Scar- 
combe.  One  small  cargo  had  been  run,  but  the  revenue 
people  were  so  sharp  that  the  French  lugger  had  given  up 
making  the  village  a  landing-place.  John  Mugby  and 
his  two  sons  had  been  drowned,  and  John  Hawkins's  boat 
had  been  smashed  up.  As  a  result  of  the  decline  of 
smuggling  there  had  been  a  revulsion  of  the  feeling  against 
Will,  and  the  four  men  who  had  been  the  ringleaders  in 
the  movement  had  made  themselves  so  generally  obnoxious 
that  they  had  had  to  leave  the  village. 

At  seven  o'clock  Will  said : 

"Now,  father,  I  must  be  moving.  Here  are  fifty  guineas. 
They  will  last  you  for  nearly  a  year.  I'll  hand  another 
fifty  to  Mr.  Archer,  and  ask  him  to  send  you  twenty 
pounds  at  a  time.  I'll  probably  be  back  in  England  before 
it  has  all  gone,  and  if  not  I  will  manage  to  find  a  means 
of  sending  more  over  to  you." 

"I  sha'n't  sleep,"  the  old  woman  said;  "I  never  shall 


BACK  AT   SCARCOMBE  205 

sleep  with  all  that  money  in  the  house.  It  is  sure  to  get 
known  about,  and  I  should  never  feel  safe." 

"Very  well,  mother,  take  the  money  up  to  Mr.  Warden, 
and  ask  him  to  hand  you  a  guinea  every  Monday." 

"Tom  Stevens,"  said  the  old  woman,  "I  will  ask  you  to 
go  up  to  the  rectory  with  me  this  very  evening.  I  daren't 
keep  it  here,  and  I  daren't  carry  it  through  the  village,  for 
there  might  be  a  pedlar  about,  and  everybody  knows  that 
pedlars  are  apt  to  be  thieves." 

"Very  well,"  Tom  said  with  a  smile,  "I  will  go  with 
you,  missis,  when  Will  has  left.  I  am  big  enough  to  tackle 
a  pedlar  if  we  meet  one  on  the  way." 

"Thank  you  very  heartily,  Tom!  I'll  be  comfortable 
now;  but  I  should  never  get  a  wink  of  sleep  with  fifty 
gold  guineas  in  the  house." 

Will  had  noticed  that  the  old  couple's  clothes  were  sorely 
patched,  and  the  next  morning  he  purchased  a  complete 
new  outfit  for  both.  These  he  sent  over  by  a  carrier,  with 
a  note,  saying :  "My  dear  father,  it  is  only  right  that  you 
should  start  with  a  fair  outfit,  and  I  therefore  send  you 
and  the  missis  a  supply  that  will  last  you  for  some  time." 

Tom  Stevens  came  over  two  days  later,  and  he  and  Will 
started  together  for  London.  On  their  arrival  at  Ports- 
mouth they  at  once  joined  the  Tartar,  which  was  quite 
ready  to  sail,  and  which  was  under  orders  to  join  Lord 
Hood's  fleet  in  the  Mediterranean. 


206  BY  CONDUCT  AND  COURAGE 

CHAPTEK   XI 

CAPTIVES   AMONG   THE   MOORS 

A  WEEK  later  the  Tartar  proceeded  to  the  Mediter- 
ranean. One  morning  after  cruising  there  for  some 
weeks,,  when  the  light  mist  lifted,  a  vessel  was  seen  some 
three  miles  away.  The  captain  looked  at  her  through  his 
telescope. 

"That  is  a  suspicious-looking  craft/'  he  said  to  the  first 
lieutenant,  Mr.  Koberts.  "We  will  lower  a  cutter  and 
overhaul  her." 

The  cutter's  crew  were  at  once  mustered.  Will  was  the 
midshipman  in  charge  of  her,  and  took  his  place  by  the 
side  of  the  third  lieutenant,  Mr.  Saxton.  The  lieutenant 
ordered  the  men  to  take  their  muskets  with  them. 

"May  I  take  Dimchurch  and  Stevens?"  Will  asked. 

"Yes,  if  you  like.  There  is  room  for  them  in  the  bow, 
and  two  extra  muskets  may  be  useful." 

The  two  men,  who  were  standing  close  by,  took  their 
places  when  they  heard  the  permission  given. 

"I  certainly  don't  like  her  appearance,  Gilmore,"  the 
lieutenant  said.  "I  cannot  help  thinking  that  she  is  an 
Algerine  by  her  rig;  and  though  every  Algerine  is  not 
necessarily  a  pirate,  a  very  large  number  of  them  are.  I 
fancy  a  breeze  will  spring  up  soon,  and  in  that  case  we 
may  have  a  long  row  before  we  overtake  her." 

The  breeze  came  presently,  and  the  Algerine  began  to 


CAPTIVES   AMONG   THE   MOORS  207 

slip  away.  It  was,  however,  but  a  puff,  and  the  boat  again 
began  to  gain  on  her.  When  they  were  five  miles  from 
the  ship  they  were  within  a  quarter  of  a  mile  from  the 
chase. 

"Confound  the  fellow!"  the  lieutenant  muttered;  "but 
I  think  I  was  mistaken,  for  there  are  not  more  than  half 
a  dozen  men  on  her  deck." 

At  length  the  boat  swept  up  to  the  side  of  the  craft.  As 
the  men  leapt  to  their  feet  a  couple  of  round  shot  were 
thrown  into  the  boat,  one  of  them  going  through  the  bot- 
tom. The  cutter  immediately  began  to  fill,  and  the  men 
as  they  climbed  up  were  confronted  by  fully  a  hundred 
armed  Moors.  Lieutenant  Saxton  was  at  once  cut  down, 
and  most  of  the  sailors  suffered  the  same  fate.  As  usual, 
Will,  Dimchurch,  and  Stevens  held  together  and  fought 
back  to  back.  The  contest,  however,  was  too  uneven  to 
last,  and  the  Moorish  captain  came  up  to  them  and  signed 
to  them  that  they  must  lay  down  their  arms. 

"Do  it  at  once/'  Will  said.  "They  evidently  prefer  to 
take  us  prisoners  to  killing  us,  which  they  could  do  with- 
out difficulty.  We  have  been  caught  in  a  regular  trap,  and 
must  make  the  best  of  it." 

So  saying  he  threw  down  his  cutlass,  and  the  others 
followed  his  example. 

They  were  taken  down  below  with  three  other  un- 
wounded  sailors,  and  the  wounded  and  dead  were  at  once 
thrown  overboard. 

"This  is  the  worst  affair  we  have  been  in  together,"  said 
Dimchurch,  "since  we  fell  into  the  hands  of  those  negroes. 
Unless  the  Tartar  overtakes  us  I  am  afraid  we  are  in  for  a 
bad  time." 


208  BY  CONDUCT  AND  COURAGE 

"I  am  afraid  so,  Dimchurch,  and  I  fear  that  there  is 
little  chance  indeed  of  the  frigate  overtaking  us.  In  such 
a  light  wind  this  craft  would  run  away  from  her,  and 
with  fully  five  miles  start  it  would  be  useless  for  the 
boats  to  try  to  overtake  her." 

"What  are  they  going  to  do  with  us  ?" 

"There  is  very  little  doubt  about  that.  They  will  make 
slaves  of  us,  and  either  set  us  to  work  on  the  fortifications 
or  sell  us  to  be  taken  up-country." 

"I  don't  expect  they  will  keep  us  long,"  Dimchurch 
said  grimly. 

"I  don't  know;  they  have  great  numbers  of  Christians 
whom  they  hold  captive,  and  it  is  rare  indeed  that  one  of 
them  escapes.  I  suppose  some  day  or  other  we'll  send  a 
fleet  to  root  them  out,  but  our  hands  are  far  too  full  for 
anything  of  that  sort  at  present.  If  we  have  a  chance  of 
escape  you  may  be  sure  that  we'll  take  it,  but  we  had 
better  make  up  our  minds  at  once  to  make  the  best  of 
things  until  opportunity  offers." 

"I  only  hope  we'll  be  kept  together,  sir.  I  could  put  up 
with  it  if  that  were  so,  but  it  would  be  awful  if  we  were 
separated;  for  even  if  one  saw  a  chance  for  escape  he 
could  not  let  the  others  know." 

"You  may  be  sure,  Dimchurch,  that  whatever  oppor- 
tunity I  might  see  I  would  not  avail  myself  of  it  unless 
I  could  take  you  both  off  with  me." 

"The  same  here,  sir,"  Dimchurch  said;  and  the  words 
were  echoed  by  Tom. 

Six  days  later  they  heard  the  anchor  run  down,  and  pres- 
ently the  hatchway  was  lifted  and  they  were  told  to  come 
on  deck.  They  found,  as  they  had  expected,  that  the  craft 


CAPTIVES   AMONG   THE   MOOKS  209 

was  lying  in  the  harbour  of  Algiers.  At  any  other  time 
they  might  have  admired  the  city,  with  its  mosques  and 
minarets,  its  massive  fortifications,  and  the  shipping  in 
the  port,  but  they  were  in  no  humour  to  do  so  now.  They 
regarded  it  as  their  jail.  They  and  the  three  sailors  were 
put  into  a  boat  and  rowed  ashore,  the  captain  of  the  craft 
going  with  them.  They  were  met  at  the  wharf  by  a  Moor, 
who  was  evidently  an  official  of  rank.  He  and  the  captain 
held  an  animated  conversation,  and  by  their  laughter  Will 
had  no  doubt  whatever  that  the  captain  was  telling  the 
clever  manner  in  which  he  had  effected  their  capture. 
Then  the  official  said  something  which  was  not  altogether 
pleasing  to  the  captain,  who,  however,  crossed  his  hands 
on  his  breast  and  bowed  submissively.  The  official  then 
handed  the  six  prisoners  over  to  some  men  who  had 
accompanied  him,  and  they  were  immediately  marched 
across  to  a  large  barrack-like  building,  which  was  evidently 
a  prison.  Two  hours  afterwards  a  great  troop  of  cap- 
tives came  in.  These  were  so  worn  and  wearied  that  they 
asked  but  few  questions  of  the  new-comers. 

"Don't  talk  about  it,"  one  said  in  answer  to  a  question 
from  Will.  "There  is  not  one  of  us  who  would  not  kill 
himself  if  he  got  the  chance.  It  is  work,  work,  work  from 
daybreak  till  sunset.  We  have  enough  to  eat  to  keep  us 
alive;  we  are  too  valuable  to  be  allowed  to  die.  We  get 
food  before  we  start  in  the  morning,  again  at  mid-day, 
and  again  when  we  get  back  here.  Oh,  they  are  very 
careful  of  us,  but  they  don't  mind  how  we  suffer !  The 
sun  blazes  down  all  day,  and  not  a  drop  of  drink  do  we 
get  except  at  meals.  In  spite  of  their  care  we  slip  through 
their  hands.  Sunstroke  and  fever  are  always  thinning 


210  BY  CONDUCT  AND  COUEAGE 

our  ranks.  That  is  the  history  of  it,  mate;  and  if  I  were 
to  talk  till  morning  I  could  not  tell  you  more.  I  suppose 
by  your  cut  that  you  are  a  man-of-warVman  ?" 

"You're  right/'  Dimchurch  said.  "We  got  caught  in  a 
trap,  and  our  nine  mates  were  killed  without  having  a 
chance  to  fire  a  shot." 

"Ah  !"  the  man  said  with  a  sigh,  "I  wish  I  had  had  their 
luck,  and  you  will  wish  so  too  before  you  have  been  here 
long." 

Eough  food  was  served  out,  and  then  the  slaves,  after 
eating,  lay  down  without  exchanging  a  word,  anxious  only 
to  sleep  away  the  thought  of  their  misery.  The  three 
friends  lay  down  together.  To  each  prisoner  a  small  rug 
had  been  served  out,  and  this  was  their  only  bedding. 

"We  are  certainly  in  a  bad  corner,"  Dimchurch  said, 
"but  the  great  point  will  be  to  keep  up  our  spirits  and 
make  the  best  of  it." 

"That  is  so,"  Will  agreed.  "I  am  convinced  that,  how- 
ever sharp  a  watch  they  may  keep,  three  resolute  men  will 
find  some  way  of  escape.  We'll  know  a  little  more  about 
it  to-morrow.  If  there  are  windows  to  this  building  we 
ought  to  be  able  to  get  out  of  them,  and  if  it  is  surrounded 
by  walls  we  ought  to  be  able  to  scale  them.  Besides,  if 
we  are  set  to  work  in  the  city  we  might  find  an  opportunity 
of  evading  the  diligence  of  our  guards.  For  one  thing, 
we  must  assume  an  air  of  cheerfulness  while  we  work.  In 
time,  when  they  see  that  we  do  our  work  well  and  are 
contented  and  obedient,  their  watch  will  relax.  Above  all, 
we  must  not,  like  these  poor  fellows,  make  up  our  minds 
that  our  lot  is  hopeless.  If  we  once  lose  hope  we  shall 
lose  everything.  At  any  rate,  for  the  present  we  must 


CAPTIVES   AMONG   THE   MOORS  211 

wait  patiently.  We  have  still  got  to  find  out  everything; 
all  we  know  is  that  we  are  confined  in  a  prison,  and  that 
we  shall  have  to  do  some  work  or  other  during  the  day. 

"We  have  got  to  find  out  the  plan  of  the  city  and  its 
general  bearings,  to  learn  something,  if  we  can,  of  the  sur- 
rounding country,  and  to  see  how  we  should  manage  to 
subsist  if  we  got  away.  Of  course  the  natural  idea  would 
be  to  make  for  the  sea  and  steal  a  boat.  But  we  came  up 
from  the  shore  through  an  archway  in  the  wall;  it  was 
strongly  guarded,  and  I  fear  it  would  be  next  to  impos- 
sible to  get  down  to  the  port.  Our  best  plan,  I  think, 
would  be  to  take  to  the  country  if  we  can,  and  go  down  to 
the  shore  some  distance  from  the  city.  We  might  then 
light  upon  a  boat  belonging  to  some  fisherman.  Of  course 
all  this  is  pure  conjecture,  and  all  we  can  arrange  is  that 
we  shall  keep  our  eyes  about  us,  and  look  for  an  empty 
house  in  which  we  might  hide  and  discover  how  we  might 
leave  the  town  on  the  land  side,  where  it  is  not  likely  the 
fortifications  will  be  nearly  so  strong  as  on  the  sea-face." 

The  next  morning  the  captives  were  deprived  of  their 
'clothes,  and  in  their  place  were  given  dirty  linen  jackets 
and  loose  trousers.  Their  shoes  were  also  taken  away. 
They  then  fell  in  with  the  rest  of  the  captives.  On  leaving 
the  prison  they  were  formed  into  companies,  each  of  which, 
under  a  strong  guard,  marched  off  in  different  directions. 
The  three  friends  kept  close  together,  and  were  assigned 
to  a  company  which  was  told  off  to  clean  the  streets  of  a 
certain  quarter  of  the  town.  They  were  furnished  with 
brooms  and  brushes,  and  were  soon  hard  at  work.  As  the 
morning  went  on,  the  heat  became  tremendous.  Several 
men  fell,  but  the  overseers  lashed  them  until  they  got  upon 
their  feet  again. 


212  BY  CONDUCT  AND  COURAGE 

"My  eye!  this  is  like  working  in  an  oven,"  Dimchurch 
muttered;  "the  dust  is  choking  me.  We  must  certainly 
get  out  of  this  as  soon  as  we  can,  sir." 

"I  agree  with  you,  Dimchurch.  I  feel  as  if  I  were 
melting  away.  If  I  were  to  put  a  bit  of  food  in  my  mouth 
I  believe  the  heat  would  bake  it  in  no  time." 

"I  couldn't  swallow  anything,"  Tom  said,  "not  even  a 
mackerel  fresh  out  of  the  sea." 

"You  know  we  agreed  that  we  must  make  the  best  of 
everything,"  Will  said.  "If  we  work  as  we  are  doing 
we  can't  but  please  our  overseers,  and  shall  save  ourselves 
from  blows." 

"They  had  better  not  strike  me,"  Dimchurch  said ;  "the 
man  that  did  it  would  never  live  to  strike  another." 

"That  might  be,"  Will  said,  "but  it  would  be  a  small 
satisfaction  to  you  if  you  were  to  be  flogged  to  death  after- 
wards." 

"No,  I  suppose  not,  sir;  but  flesh  and  blood  can't  stand 
such  a  thing  as  being  struck  by  one  of  these  yellow 
hounds." 

At  twelve  o'clock  the  gang  returned,  and  the  men  drank 
eagerly  from  a  fountain  in  the  courtyard  of  the  prison. 

"Take  as  little  as  you  can,"  Will  said;  "if  you  drink 
much  it  will  do  you  harm.  You  can  drink  often  if  you 
like,  provided  that  you  only  take  a  sip  at  a  time." 

"It  is  easy  to  say,  Mr.  Gilmore,  but  it  is  not  so  easy  to 
do.  I  feel  as  if  I  could  drink  till  I  burst." 

"I  dare  say  you  do;  I  feel  the  same  myself;  but  I  am 
sure  that  to  take  a  lot  of  water  just  now  would  do  us  harm 
instead  of  good." 

Their  abstinence  so  far  benefited  them  that  they  felt 


CAPTIVES   AMONG   THE   MOORS  213 

their  work  in  the  afternoon  less  than  they  had  done  in 
the  morning,  though  the  heat  was,  if  anything,  greater. 

That  evening  they  examined  their  prison.  It  consisted 
of  one  great  hall  supported  by  rows  of  pillars.  Here  the 
whole  of  the  prisoners  were  confined.  It  was  lighted  by 
windows  five-and-twenty  feet  from  the  ground.  There  was 
no  guard  inside,  but  fifty  men,  some  of  whom  were  always 
on  sentry,  slept  outside  the  hall.  It  was  clear  to  them, 
therefore,  that  no  escape  could  be  made  after  they  were 
once  locked  up,  and  that  if  they  were  to  get  away  at  all 
they  must  make  the  attempt  when  they  were  employed 
outside. 

On  the  third  day  one  of  the  sailors  from  the  Tartar,  who 
had  disregarded  Will's  advice  to  drink  sparingly,  fell  down 
dead  after  drinking  till  he  could  drink  no  more.  Scarcely 
a  day  passed  without  one  or  more  of  the  captives  succumb- 
ing; some  of  them  went  mad  and  were  at  once  despatched 
by  their  guards. 

After  working  for  a  fortnight  in  the  streets  the  gang 
were  marched  in  another  direction,  and  were  put  to  labour 
on  the  fortifications.  This  was  a  great  relief.  They 
were  now  free  from  the  choking  dust  of  the  streets,  and 
obtained  a  view  of  the  surrounding  country.  The  three, 
as  usual,  laboured  together,  and  showed  so  much  zeal  and 
activity  that  they  pleased  the  head  of  their  guard.  They 
had  the  great  advantage  that  they  were  accustomed  to 
work  together,  while  the  majority  of  the  gang  had  no  such 
experience.  There  were  men  of  all  nationalities — French, 
Spanish,  Italians,  Maltese,  and  Greeks,  and  though  most 
of  them  were  accustomed  to  a  warm  climate,  they  had 
nothing  like  the  strength  of  the  three  Englishmen.  In 


214  BY    CONDUCT   AND   COURAGE 

moving  heavy  stones,  therefore,  the  three  friends  were 
able  to  perform  as  much  work  as  any  dozen  other  prison- 
ers. They  were  the  only  Englishmen  in  the  gang,  for  the 
other  two  sailors  had  been  from  the  first  placed  with 
another  party. 

On  the  march  to  their  work  they  passed  by  a  palace  of 
considerable  extent,  surrounded  by  grounds  which  were 
entered  on  that  side  by  a  small  postern  gate.  "I  would 
give  a  good  deal  to  know  if  that  gate  is  locked,"  Will  said. 

"What  good  would  that  do,  sir  ?" 

"Well,  if  we  could  get  in  there  we  might  hide  in  the 
shrubbery,  and  stop  there  till  the  first  pursuit  was  over. 
No  one  would  think  of  searching  there.  I  should  say  we 
might,  if  we  had  luck,  seize  and  bind  three  of  the  garden- 
ers or  attendants,  and  so  issue  from  one  of  the  gates 
dressed  in  their  clothes  without  exciting  suspicion." 

"What  should  we  do  for  grub,  sir?" 

"Well,  for  that  we  must  trust  to  chance.  There  are 
houses  that  might  be  robbed,  and  travellers  who  might  be 
lightened  of  their  belongings.  I  can't  think  that  three 
active  men,  though  they  might  be  unarmed,  would  allow 
themselves  to  starve.  Of  course  we  should  want  to  get 
rid  of  these  clothes,  and  find  some  weapons;  but  the  great 
point  of  all  is  to  discover  whether  that  door  is  locked." 

"All  right,  sir!  I  am  ready  to  try  anything  you  may 
suggest,  for  I  am  sick  to  death  of  this  work,  and  the  heat, 
and  the  food,  and  the  guard,  and  everything  connected 
with  it." 

They  looked  at  the  door  with  longing  eyes  each  time 
they  passed  it.  At  last  one  day  a  man  came  out  of  the 
gateway  just  as  they  were  passing,  and,  pulling  the  gate  to 


CAPTIVES   AMONG   THE   MOORS  215 

behind  him,  walked  away  without  apparently  thinking  of 
locking  it. 

"That  settles  that  point/'  Will  said.  "The  next  most 
important  question  is,  Are  there  people  moving  about 
inside  ?  Then  how  are  we  to  slip  away  unseen  ?  To  begin 
with,  we  will  manage  always  to  walk  in  the  rear  of  the 
gang.  There  are  often  rows;  if  some  poor  wretch  goes 
mad  and  attacks  the  guard  there  is  generally  a  rush  of  the 
others  to  his  assistance.  If  such  a  thing  were  to  happen 
near  this  gate  we  might  manage  to  slip  in  unnoticed. 
Still,  I  admit  the  chances  are  against  anything  of  the  sort 
taking  place  just  at  that  point,  and  I  expect  we  must  try 
and  think  of  something  better." 

A  fortnight  later,  just  as  they  were  passing  the  door,  a 
small  party  of  cavalry,  evidently  the  escort  to  some  great 
chief,  came  dashing  along  at  full  speed.  The  road  being 
somewhat  narrow  the  slaves  and  guards  scattered  in  all 
directions,  several  of  them  being  knocked  down. 

"Now  is  our  chance!"  Will  exclaimed;  and  the  three 
ran  to  the  gate  and  entered  the  garden.  There  was  no 
one  in  sight;  evening  was  coming  on,  and  any  men  who 
might  have  been  working  in  the  garden  had  left.  They 
closed  the  gate  behind  them  and  turned  the  key  in  the 
lock,  then  ran  into  a  shubbery  and  threw  them- 
selves down.  They  trusted  that  in  the  confusion  their 
absence  would  not  be  noticed,  and  this  seemed  to  be 
the  case,  for  they  heard  loud  orders  given  and  then  all 
was  quiet. 

"So  far  so  good,"  Will  said.  "The  first  step  is  taken, 
and  the  most  difficult  one.  To-morrow,  when  the  garden- 
ers come,  we  will  spring  upon  three  of  them  and  bind 


216  BY  CONDUCT  AND  COURAGE 

them.  I  should  not  think  that  there  will  be  more  than 
that." 

Fortune  favoured  them,  however,  for  an  hour  later  three 
servants  came  along,  laughing  and  talking  together.  The 
sailors  prepared  to  act,  and  as  the  men  passed  their 
hiding-place  Will  gave  the  word,  and,  leaping  out  upon 
them,  they  hurled  them  to  the  ground.  Tom  and  Dim- 
church  both  stunned  their  men  and  then  aided  Will  to 
secure  the  one  he  had  knocked  down.  Without  ceremony 
they  stripped  off  the  clothes  of  the  fallen  men,  tore  up 
their  own  rags,  and  bound  the  captives  securely,  shoving 
a  ball  of  the  material  between  the  teeth  of  each,  and  then 
secured  them  to  three  trees  a  short  distance  apart. 

"That  is  good,"  said  Will,  as  they  put  on  the  servants' 
clothes ;  "they  are  safe  till  they  are  found  in  the  morning. 
In  these  clothes  we  can  boldly  venture  out  from  the  town 
gate  as  soon  as  it  is  opened.  There  is  always  the  risk  that 
our  colour  may  betray  us,  but  we  are  all  burnt  nearly  as 
dark  as  mahogany  and  may  very  well  pass." 

"Shall  we  start  now,  sir?" 

"No,  they  will  find  out  when  they  get  to  the  prison  that 
we  are  missing,  and  there  will  be  a  keen  hunt  for  us.  And 
now  I  come  to  think  of  it,  the  guards  at  the  gate  will  be 
warned  of  our  escape,  and  will  probably  question  us,  par- 
ticularly as  these  bright-coloured  garments  would  attract 
their  attention.  I  really  think  our  best  plan  would  be  to 
go  out  into  the  town  at  once  and  try  to  get  hold  of  other 
disguises." 

"It  would  be  a  good  thing  if  we  could  do  so,  sir." 

"Dear  me,  how  stupid  I  am !"  exclaimed  Will  after  a 
pause.  "You  know  that  wall  we  were  repairing  to-day? 


CAPTIVES   AMONG   THE   MOORS  217 

It  was  only  about  fourteen  feet  above  the  ground  outside, 
so  we  should  have  no  difficulty  in  dropping  down." 

"That  is  so,  sir.  It  is  an  easy  drop,  and  by  leaving  in 
that  way  we'll  avoid  being  questioned,  and  get  well  away 
before  the  alarm  is  given." 

"Then  we  will  lose  no  time,"  said  Will.  "We  have  to 
pass  through  a  busy  quarter,  but  if  we  go  separately  we 
shall  attract  no  notice,  though  no  doubt  by  this  time  the 
search  will  have  begun.  They  will  be  looking,  however, 
for  three  men  together.  Of  course  they  will  not  so  much 
as  cast  an  eye  upon  the  servants  of  this  palace,  for  they 
will  know  nothing  of  our  doings  here  till  to-morrow  morn- 
ing. I  will  go  first  when  we  get  into  the  street.  You, 
Dimchurch,  follow  me  forty  or  fifty  yards  behind,  and 
Tom  the  same  distance  behind  you." 

"I  hardly  think  they  will  be  in  search  of  us  yet,"  Dim- 
church  said.  "It  is  little  more  than  an  hour  since  we 
escaped,  and  they  won't  find  out  till  they  get  to  the  prison 
and  count  the  gang.  When  they  have  done  that  they 
would  have  to  see  who  it  was  that  was  missing,  and  then 
they  would  take  some  time  to  organize  the  search." 

"That  is  so,  Dimchurch;  still,  we  will  take  every  pre- 
caution." 

So  saying  they  started.  When  they  were  half-way  to 
the  wall  they  saw  a  number  of  soldiers  and  convict  guards 
come  running  along,  questioning  many  people  as  they 
passed.  They  trembled  lest  they  should  be  discovered,  but 
fortunately  no  question  was  put  to  any  of  them,  and  they 
kept  on  their  way.  Presently  Will  emerged  upon  the  open 
space  of  ground  between  the  wall  and  the  houses,  and  when 
Dimchurch  and  Tom  had  come  up  they  went  together 


218  BY  CONDUCT  AND  COURAGE 

along  the  foot  of  the  wall  until  they  came  to  the  place 
where  they  had  been  working. 

"Keep  your  eyes  open,"  Will  said  as  they  climbed  up; 
"there  are  crowbars  and  hammers  lying  about,  and,  where 
the  stone-cutters  were  working,  chisels.  A  crowbar  or  a 
heavy  hammer  is  a  weapon  not  to  be  despised." 

In  a  few  minutes  each  was  armed  with  a  chisel  and  a 
light  crowbar.  They  then  went  to  the  edge  of  the  wall, 
and,  throwing  these  weapons  down,  lowered  themselves 
as  far  as  they  could  reach  and  dropped  to  the  ground. 

"Thank  God  we  are  out  of  that  place !"  Will  said  fer- 
vently; "we  won't  enter  it  again  alive.  Now,  the  first 
thing  is  to  get  as  far  away  as  possible,  keeping  as  nearly 
parallel  to  the  line  of  the  coast  as  we  can,  but  four  or  five 
miles  back,  for  we  may  be  sure  that  when  they  cannot 
find  us  in  the  town  they  will  suspect  that  we  have  made 
for  the  coast,  and  a  dozen  horsemen  will  be  sent  out  to 
look  for  us  along  the  shore.  It  is  no  use  our  thinking  of 
trying  to  get  to  sea  until  the  search  has  been  given  up. 
Our  principal  difficulty  will  be  to  live.  From  the  walls 
the  country  looked  well  cultivated  in  parts,  and  even  if 
we  have  to  exist  on  raw  grain  we  shall  not  be  much  worse 
off  than  when  we  were  in  prison." 

"I  don't  care  what  it  is,"  Tom  said,  "so  long  as  there  is 
enough  of  it  to  keep  us  alive ;  but  we  must  have  water." 

"I  don't  think  there  will  be  much  difficulty  about  that, 
Tom,  as  every  one  of  the  houses  scattered  over  the  plain 
will  have  wells  and  fountains  in  their  gardens.  Thank 
goodness,  they  won't  miss  any  we  take,  and  we  could  go 
every  night  and  fetch  water  without  exciting  any  suspicion 
that  we  had  been  there !" 


CAPTIVES   AMONG  THE   MOORS  219 

"One  of  the  first  things  we  must  do,"  said  Will,  "is  to 
dirty  these  white  jackets  and  trousers  so  that  we  may  look 
like  field  labourers,  for  then  if  anyone  should  catch  sight 
of  us  in  the  distance  we  should  attract  no  attention." 

They  walked  all  night,  and  just  as  morning  was  break- 
ing they  saw  a  large  country  house  with  the  usual  garden. 
They  climbed  over  the  wall,  which  was  not  high,  and  drew 
some  water  in  a  bucket  which  they  found  standing  at  the 
mouth  of  the  well. 

"This  bucket  we  will  confiscate,"  Will  said;  "we  can 
hardly  lie  hidden  all  day  without  having  a  drink.  Of 
course  they  will  miss  it;  but  when  they  cannot  find  it 
they  will  suppose  that  it  has  been  mislaid  or  stolen.  One 
of  the  gardeners  will  probably  get  the  blame,  but  we  can't 
help  that.  Now  we  will  go  another  mile  and  then  look 
for  a  hiding-place.  There  are  a  lot  of  sand-hills  scattered 
about,  and  if  we  can't  find  a  hole  that  will  suit  us  we  must 
scoop  one  out.  I  believe  they  are  pretty  hard  inside,  but 
our  crowbars  will  soon  make  a  place  large  enough." 

After  an  hour's  walk  they  fixed  upon  a  spot  on  the 
shady  side  of  a  hill  and  began  to  make  a  cave  that  would 
allow  the  three  to  lie  side  by  side.  The  work  was  com- 
pleted in  less  than  an  hour,  and  they  crawled  in  and 
scraped  up  some  of  the  fallen  sand  so  as  partially  to  close 
the  mouth  behind  them. 

"Thank  goodness,  we  have  got  shelter  and  water !" 
Will  said.  "As  for  food,  we  must  forage  for  it  to-night." 

"I  am  quite  content  to  go  without  it  for  to-day,"  Dim- 
church  said,  "and  to  lie  here  and  sleep  and  do  nothing.  I 
don't  think  anything  would  tempt  me  to  get  up  and  walk 
a  mile  farther,  not  even  the  prospects  of  a  good  dinner." 


220  BY  CONDUCT  AND  COURAGE 

"Well,  as  we  are  all  so  tired  we  shall  probably  sleep  till 
evening." 

In  a  few  minutes  all  were  asleep.  Once  or  twice  in  the 
course  of  the  day  they  woke  up  and  took  a  drink  from 
the  bucket  and  then  fell  off  again.  At  sunset  all  sat  up 
quite  refreshed. 

"I  begin  to  feel  that  I  have  an  appetite/'  Will  said; 
"now  I  think,  for  to-night,  we  will  content  ourselves  with 
going  into  one  of  the  fields  and  plucking  a  lot  of  the  ears  of 
maize.  Messages  may  have  been  sent  out  all  over  the 
country,  and  the  people  may  be  watchful.  It  will  be  wise 
to  avoid  all  risk  of  discovery.  We  can  gather  a  few  sticks 
and  make  a  fire  in  there  to  roast  the  maize;  there  are 
sand-hills  all  round,  so  what  little  flame  we  make  would 
not  be  noticed." 

"But  how  about  a  light  ?"  Dimchurch  asked. 

"I  picked  up  a  piece  of  flint  as  we  came  along  this  morn- 
ing," Will  said,  "and  by  means  of  one  of  these  chisels  we 
ought  to  be  able  to  strike  a  light ;  a  few  dead  leaves,  finely 
crumbled  up,  should  do  instead  of  tinder." 

"It  is  a  good  thing  to  keep  one's  eyes  open,"  Dimchurch 
remarked.  "Now  if  I  had  seen  that  piece  of  stone  I 
should  not  have  given  it  a  thought,  and  here  it  is  going  to 
give  us  a  hot  dinner  !" 

As  there  were  numbers  of  fields  in  the  neighbourhood 
they  soon  returned  with  an  armful  of  maize  each.  Dried 
weeds  and  sticks  were  then  collected,  and  after  repeated 
failures  a  light  was  at  last  obtained,  and  soon  the  grain 
was  roasted.  A  jacket  was  stretched  across  the  entrance 
of  their  den  so  that,  should  anyone  be  passing  near,  they 
would  not  observe  the  light. 


CAPTIVES   AMONG   THE    MOORS  221 

"Now,"  Will  said  as  they  munched  some  maize  the  next 
evening,  "we  must  start  foraging.  We  will  go  in  opposite 
directions,  and  each  must  take  his  bearing  accurately  or 
we'll  never  come  together  again." 

They  were  out  for  some  hours,  and  when  they  returned 
it  was  found  that  Will  had  come  across  four  fowls,  Tom 
had  gathered  a  variety  of  fruit,  consisting  chiefly  of 
melons  and  peaches,  while  Dimchurch,  who  was  the  last 
to  come  in,  brought  a  small  sheep. 

"We  only  want  one  thing  to  make  us  perfect,"  Will  said, 
"and  that  is  a  pipe  of  'bacca.'V- 

"Well,  that  would  be  a  welcome  addition,"  Tom  admit- 
ted, "but  it  does  not  do  to  expect  too  much.  I  should  not 
be  at  all  surprised  if  we  were  to  light  upon  some  tobacco 
plants  in  one  of  the  gardens,  but  of  course  it  could  hardly 
be  like  a  properly  dried  leaf.  I  dare  say,  though,  we 
could  make  something  of  it." 

So  they  lived  for  a  month,  sometimes  better,  sometimes 
worse,  but  with  sufficient  food  of  one  sort  or  another.  So 
far  as  they  knew  no  suspicion  of  their  presence  had  been 
excited,  though  their  petty  robberies  must  have  been 
noticed.  One  evening,  however,  Will,  on  going  to  the 
top  of  the  sand-hill,  as  he  generally  did,  saw  a  large  de- 
tachment of  soldiers  coming  along,  searching  the  ground 
carefully.  He  ran  down  at  once  to  his  companions. 

"Take  your  weapons,  lads,"  he  said,  "and  make  off;  a 
strong  party  of  soldiers  are  searching  the  country,  and 
they  are  coming  this  way.  No  doubt  they  are  looking 
for  us." 

They  had  run  but  a  few  hundred  yards  when  they  heard 
shouts,  and,  looking  round,  they  saw  a  Moorish  officer 


222  BY  CONDUCT  AND  COURAGE 

waving  his  hands  and  gesticulating.  This  was  alarming, 
but  they  reckoned  that  they  had  fully  five  hundred  yards 
start. 

"Keep  up  a  steady  pace,"  Will  said ;  "I  don't  expect  the 
beggars  can  run  faster  than  we  can.  It  will  be  pitch  dark 
in  half  an  hour,  and  as,  fortunately,  there  is  no  moon,  I 
expect  we'll  be  able  to  give  them  the  slip." 

As  they  advanced  they  found  that  the  vegetation  became 
scarcer  and  scarcer. 

"I  am  afraid  we  are  on  the  edge  of  a  desert,"  Will  said, 
"which  means  that  there  are  no  more  fowls  and  fruit  for 
us.  I  see,  Dimchurch,  that  you  have  been  the  most 
thoughtful  this  time.  That  half  sheep  and  those  cakes 
will  be  very  valuable  to  us." 

"I  wasn't  going  to  leave  them  for  the  soldiers  if  I  knew 
it,  sir;  they  wouldn't  have  gone  far  among  them,  while 
they  will  last  us  some  time  with  care." 

They  changed  their  course  several  times  as  soon  as  it 
became  quite  dark,  and  presently  had  the  satisfaction  of 
hearing  the  shouts  of  their  pursuers  fade  away  behind 
them. 

"Now  we  can  take  it  quietly,  lads.  We  can  guide  our- 
selves towards  the  sea  by  means  of  the  stars.  I  fancy  it 
must  be  fully  twenty  miles  away.  We  must  hold  on  till 
•we  get  to  it,  and  then  gradually  work  our  way  along 
among  the  sand-hills  or  clumps  of  bush  bordering  it  till 
we  come  to  a  village.  Then  we  must  contrive  to  get  a 
good  supply  of  food  and  water,  steal  a  boat,  and  make  off. 
If  galleys  were  sent  out  to  search  for  us  they  must  have 
given  it  up  long  ago.  As  for  other  craft,  we'll  have  to  take 
our  chance  with  them." 


CAPTIVES   AMONG   THE   MOORS  223 

They  kept  steadily  north  and  at  last  came  down  to  the 
coast.  As  it  was  still  dark  they  lay  down  till  morning. 
When  the  sun  rose  they  thought  they  could  make  out  a 
village  some  eight  miles  away. 

"Now  it  will  be  quite  safe  to  cook  our  breakfast,"  Dim- 
church  said. 

"Yes,  I  think  so/7  Will  answered,  "but  we  must  be 
sparing  with  the  mutton ;  that  is  our  only  food  at  present, 
and  it  may  be  some  little  time  before  we  get  hold  of  any- 
thing else." 

After  breakfast  they  lay  down  among  the  bushes  and 
slept  till  evening.  Then  they  started  along  the  shore 
towards  the  village.  When  they  got  within  half  a  mile  of 
it  they  halted.  They  could  see  some  boats  on  the  shore, 
so  they  felt  that  the  only  difficulty  in  their  way  was  the 
question  of  provisions.  When  it  was  quite  dark  they  went 
into  the  village  and  started  to  forage,  but  on  meeting 
again  they  had  very  little  to  show.  Between  them  they  had 
managed  to  take  five  fowls;  but  the  village  was  evidently 
a  poor  place,  for  with  the  exception  of  a  few  melons  there 
was  no  fruit. 

"The  beggars  must  have  grain  somewhere,"  said  Will. 
"They  can't  live  on  fowls  and  melons." 

"I  expect,  sir,  they  live  very  largely  on  fish." 

"That  is  likely  enough,"  Will  agreed.  "Let  us  put  down 
these  fowls  and  melons  under  this  bush,  and  have  a  nap  for 
a  couple  of  hours,  till  we  are  sure  that  everyone  is  asleep. 
We  can  then  go  down  and  have  a  look  at  the  boats.  Those 
of  them  that  come  in  late  may  probably  leave  some  of 
their  catch  on  board." 

When  they  went  down  to  the  boats  they  found  that  three 


224  BY  CONDUCT  AND  COUKAGE 

of  them  contained  a  fair  quantity  of  fish.  They  helped 
themselves  to  some  of  these,  and  then  retreated  some  dis- 
tance from  the  village,,  picking  up  the  other  provisions 
on  the  way,  and  then,  going  into  a  clump  of  bushes, 
cooked  a  portion  of  the  fish. 

"That  pretty  well  settles  the  question  of  provisions," 
Will  said.  "We  must  choose  a  night  when  there  is  a  good 
wind  blowing  offshore,  so  that  we  may  run  a  good  many 
miles  before  morning.  Then  we  must  trust  to  falling  in 
with  one  of  our  cruisers." 

"Fish  won't  keep  long  in  this  climate,"  suggested  Tom. 

"No,"  said  Will,  "but  we  can  dry  some  of  them  in  the 
sun  and  they  will  then  keep  good  for  some  time.  Then  we 
might  clean  half  a  dozen  fowls  and  cook  them  before  we 
start." 

"The  great  difficulty  will  be  water." 

"Yes,  but  we  can  get  over  that  by  stripping  the  gardens 
clean  of  their  melons.  They  weigh  four  or  five  pounds 
apiece  and  would  supply  us  with  fluid  for  a  week  easily." 

The  next  evening  they  went  down  and  made  a  more 
careful  examination  of  the  boats.  One  in  particular  at- 
tracted their  attention.  She  was  nearly  new,  and  looked 
likely  to  be  faster  than  the  rest.  She  was  anchored  some 
fifty  yards  from  the  shore.  Three  more  evenings  were 
spent  in  prowling  about  the  village  collecting  food.  It 
was  evident  that  the  villagers  were  alarmed  at  their 
depredations,  for  on  the  third  evening  they  were  fired  at 
by  several  men.  In  consequence  of  this  they  moved  a  mile 
farther  away,  in  case  a  search  should  be  made,  and  the 
next  night  carried  the  provisions  down  to  the  shore.  As 
they  were  all  expert  swimmers,  they  were  soon  alongside 


CAPTIVES   AMONG   THE   MOORS  225 

the  chosen  craft.  They  pushed  the  provisions  before  them 
on  a  small  raft,  and  when  they  had  put  them  on  board 
they  made  a  trip  to  one  or  two  of  the  other  boats  and 
brought  away  some  twenty  pounds  of  fish.  Then  they 
cut  the  hawser  and  hoisted  sail.  As  they  did  so  they  heard 
a  great  tumult  on  shore,  and  the  villagers  ran  down  to  the 
water's  edge  and  opened  fire  upon  them.  The  shooting, 
however,  was  wild,  and  they  were  very  soon  out  of  range. 
Several  boats  put  off  in  pursuit.  This  caused  them 
some  uneasiness,  and  they  watched  them  somewhat  anx- 
iously, for  the  wind,  though  favourable,  was  light,  and 
they  felt  by  no  means  certain  that  they  would  be  able  to 
keep  ahead  of  the  rowers.  The  stolen  craft,  however, 
proved  unexpectedly  fast,  and  the  boats,  after  following 
fifteen  miles  without  sensibly  gaining,  at  last  gave  up  the 
chase.  About  this  time,  too,  the  wind,  to  their  great  relief, 
became  stronger,  and  the  little  vessel  flew  more  and  more 
rapidly  over  the  sea. 

"She  is  a  fine  craft,"  Dimchurch  said;  "these  Moors 
certainly  know  how  to  build  boats.  It  would  require  a 
smart  cutter  to  hold  her  own  with  us." 

Dimchurch  kept  at  the  helm  and  the  other  two  investi- 
gated their  capture.  She  was  three  parts  decked.  In  the 
cabin  they  came  upon  a  lantern  and  flint  and  steel,  and 
soon  had  light,  which  helped  them  greatly  in  their  work. 
In  the  bow  ropes  were  stored  away,  while  in  a  locker  they 
found  some  bread,  which,  although  stale,  was  very  accept- 
able. They  also  unearthed  two  or  three  suits  of  rough 
sea  clothes  with  which  they  were  glad  to  replace  the  light 
clothes  they  had  carried  away  with  them  from  the  palace 
grounds,  for  though  the  weather  on  shore  was  warm  the 


226  BY  CONDUCT  AND  COURAGE 

sea-breeze  was  chilly.  Among  other  useful  things  they 
also  discovered  several  long  knives,  and  axes,  and  a  flat 
stone  for  cooking  upon. 

"Now  it  is  all  a  question  of  luck/'  Will  said;  "the 
danger  will  be  greater  when  we  get  a  bit  farther  out.  All 
vessels  going  up  and  down  the  Mediterranean  give  the 
Barbary  coast  a  wide  berth.  Of  course  those  pirate  fel- 
lows are  most  numerous  along  the  line  of  traffic,  but  they 
are  to  be  found  right  up  to  the  Spanish,  French,  and 
Italian  coasts,  though  of  late,  I  fancy,  they  have  not  been 
so  active.  There  are  too  many  of  our  cruisers  about  for 
their  taste,  and  the  Spaniards,  when  they  get  a  chance, 
show  the  scoundrels  no  mercy." 

When  morning  broke  not  a  sail  was  visible. 

"I  think,  sir,"  Dimchurch  said,  "that  there  is  going  to 
be  a  change  of  weather,  and  that  we  are  in  for  a  gale." 

"It  does  not  matter  much.  I  fancy  this  boat  would  go 
through  it  however  severe  it  might  be." 

"Yes,  sir,  but  it  would  check  our  progress,  and  we  want 
to  run  north  as  fast  as  we  can.  I  see,  by  the  line  you  are 
making,  that  you  are  aiming  at  Toulon,  and  at  our  pres- 
ent pace  it  would  take  something  like  four  days  to  get 
there.  If  we  are  caught  in  a  gale  we  may  take  two  days 
longer." 

"That  is  so,"  Will  agreed;  "but  on  the  other  hand,  if 
the  wind  becomes  much  stronger  we'll  have  to  take  in  sail, 
and  in  that  case  we  should  have  more  chance  of  escaping 
notice  if  we  come  near  any  of  those  Moorish  craft.  Be- 
sides, if  the  sea  were  really  rough  it  would  be  difficult 
for  them  to  board  us  even  if  they  did  come  up  with  us." 

"You  are  right,  sir;  still,  for  myself,  I  should  prefer  a 
strong  southerly  wind  and  a  clear  sky." 


CAPTIVES   AMONG   THE   MOORS  227 

"Well,  I  am  afraid  you  will  not  get  your  wish,  for  the 
clouds  certainly  seem  to  be  banking  up  from  the  north, 
and  well  get  a  change  of  wind  ere  long/' 

By  night  the  wind  was  blowing  fiercely  and  the  sea 
rapidly  rising.  The  sails  were  closely  reefed,  and  even 
then  they  felt  with  pleasure  that  the  little  craft  was  mak- 
ing good  way.  The  wind  increased  during  the  night,  and 
was  blowing  a  gale  by  morning.  Just  at  twelve  o'clock  a 
craft  was  seen  approaching  which  all  were  convinced  was 
an  Algerine.  She  changed  her  course  at  once  and  bore 
down  upon  them,  firing  a  gun  as  a  signal  for  them  to 
stop. 

"She  is  rather  faster  than  we  are,"  Dimchurch  said, 
"but  we'll  lead  her  a  good  dance  before  she  gets  hold  of  us. 
She  could  not  work  her  guns  in  this  sea,  and  if  she  is  the 
faster,  at  least  we  are  the  handier." 

For  three  hours  the  chase  continued.  Again  and  again 
the  Algerine  came  upon  them,  but  each  time  the  little 
boat,  turning  almost  on  her  heel,  so  cleverly  was  she 
handled,  glided  away  from  underneath  the  enemy's  bows. 
Each  time,  when  they  saw  the  chase  slipping  away  from 
them,  the  angry  Moors  sent  a  volley  of  musketry  after  her, 
but  the  fugitives  took  refuge  in  the  cabin,  or  lay  down  on 
the  deck  close  under  the  bulwarks,  and  so  escaped. 

Soon  the  Moors  were  so  intent  on  the  chase  that  they 
began  to  take  great  risks  with  their  own  vessel.  In  fact. 
they  became  positively  reckless.  For  this  they  paid  very 
heavily.  After  many  disappointments  they  felt  that  the 
fugitives  were  at  last  in  their  clutches,  and  were  preparing 
to  board  her  when  suddenly  Dimchurch  put  down  his 
helm  sharply.  He  nearly  capsized  the  little  craft,  and 


228          BY  CONDUCT  AND  COURAGE 

indeed  they  would  rather  have  gone  down  with  her  than 
fall  into  the  hands  of  the  Moors  again,  but  she  righted 
immediately,  and  once  more  skimmed  away  from  her  pur- 
suers. In  the  excitement  of  the  moment  the  Moorish 
steersman  attempted  the  same  manoeuvre.  If  he  had  suc- 
ceeded he  would  probably  have  run  down  the  cockle-shell 
that  had  baffled  him  so  long.  But  at  that  moment  a 
violent  squall  struck  his  ship  with  its  full  force,  and  her 
mainmast  snapped  a  few  feet  above  the  deck.  The  three 
fugitives  jumped  to  their  feet  and  cheered,  and  then 
calmly  proceeded  on  their  way. 


CHAPTER   XII 

BACK   ON   THE   "TARTAR" 

THE  next  morning  broke  fair.  Their  late  foe  had 
dropped  out  of  sight  on  the  previous  evening,  but 
now,  when  the  sun  rose,  Tom  made  out  the  top-sails  of  a 
large  ship  on  the  horizon. 

"She  is  coming  towards  us,  lads,  and  by  the  course  she 
is  steering  she  will  pass  within  three  miles  of  us.  Is  she 
English  or  French?" 

"She  is  too  far  away  yet  to  be  certain,"  Dimchurch  said, 
"but  I  can't  help  thinking  she  is  French." 

"At  any  rate,  Dimchurch,  our  best  course  will  be  to 
lower  the  sail,  shake  the  reef-points  out,  and  have  it  ready 
for  hoisting  at  a  moment's  notice.  Now  that  the  wind  is 


229 

light  again  I  should  fancy  we  could  get  away  from  her; 
with  a  start  of  two  or  three  miles  she  would  have  no 
chance  whatever  of  catching  us." 

Suddenly  Tom  Stevens  exclaimed: 

"There  is  a  sail  coming  up  from  behind.  She  looks  to 
me  close-hauled.  If  both  ships  come  on  they  are  bound 
to  meet;  if  one  is  French  and  the  other  is  English  they 
are  likely  to  have  a  talk  to  each  other.  In  that  case  we 
should  be  able  to  tell  friend  from  foe  by  the  colours,  and 
could  then  make  for  the  English  ship." 

They  sat  anxiously  watching  the  two  ships,  and  soon 
they  saw  that  the  point  of  meeting  must  be  very  near  their 
own  position.  Presently  their  hulls  became  visible,  and 
Dimchurch  pronounced  one  to  be  a  thirty-two-gun  frigate, 
and  the  other  a  forty  or  forty-two.  They  then  made  out 
that  the  one  coming  up  from  the  south  was  flying  the 
white  ensign,  and  at  once  they  hoisted  their  sail  and  made 
for  her.  Equally  intent  upon  a  fight,  the  two  vessels  ap- 
proached each  other  without  paying  the  slightest  attention 
to  the  little  craft. 

"The  Frenchman  means  fighting,  and  as  he  has  ten 
guns  to  the  good  he  may  well  think  he  is  more  than  a 
match  for  our  ship.  Do  you  know  her,  Dimchurch  ?" 

"I  think  she  is  the  Lysander,  sir,  though  I  can't  be 
sure ;  there  are  so  many  of  these  thirty -twos." 

The  vessels,  as  they  passed,  exchanged  broadsides.  Then 
both  tacked,  but  the  Englishman  was  the  quicker,  and 
he  raked  the  French  frigate  as  she  came  round.  Then 
they  went  at  it  hammer  and  tongs.  The  Frenchman 
suffered  very  heavily  in  spars  and  rigging,  but  at  last  the 
foremast  of  the  English  ship  fell  over  her  side.  The 


230  BY  CONDUCT  AND  COURAGE 

Frenchman  at  once  closed  with  her,  and  after  pouring  in 
a  broadside,  tried  to  board  her. 

The  little  boat  bore  up  to  the  stern  of  the  English  ship. 
A  desperate  conflict  was  going  on  at  that  point,  and 
failing  to  get  up  they  moved  along  the  side.  Here  a  rope, 
which  had  been  cut  by  the  French  fire,  was  hanging  over- 
board, and,  grasping  this,  they  climbed  up  to  a  port-hole. 
The  deck  was  deserted,  all  hands  having  rushed  up  to  meet 
the  attack  of  the  French  boarders.  Without  a  moment's 
delay  they  snatched  cutlasses  from  a  rack  and  ran  up  the 
companion  to  the  upper  deck. 

Here  things  were  going  somewhat  badly.  The  French 
were  much  more  numerous  than  the  English,  and  were 
forcing  them  back  by  sheer  weight  of  numbers.  The  new- 
comers rushed  at  once  into  the  fray,  and  laid  about  them 
lustily.  The  force  and  suddenness  of  the  onslaught  caused 
the  enemy  to  hesitate,  and  at  the  same  time  it  had  the  effect 
of  inspiring  to  fresh  efforts  the  English  crew,  who,  having 
lost  their  captain  and  first  lieutenant,  were  beginning  to 
lose  heart.  They  answered  the  cheers  of  their  strangely- 
clad  allies,  and  with  one  accord  charged  to  meet  them. 
At  that  moment  Dimchurch  almost  severed  the  French 
captain's  head  from  his  body  by  a  sweeping  blow,  and  the 
French,  being  disheartened  by  the  loss  of  their  leader, 
gave  way.  The  English  sailors  redoubled  their  efforts, 
and  after  ten  minutes  of  desperate  fighting  succeeded  in 
driving  their  foes  back  to  their  own  ship.  Then  the  men 
ran  to  their  guns  again  and  the  cannonade  recommenced. 
But  the  spirit  of  the  two  crews  had  changed.  The  French 
were  discouraged  by  their  failure,  and  the  British  were 
exultant  over  their  success.  Consequently  the  guns  of  the 


231 

English  ship  were  fired  with  far  more  rapidity  and  pre- 
cision than  those  of  the  French.  Several  of  the  port-holes 
of  the  French  ship  were  knocked  into  one,,  and  when  at  last 
her  mainmast,  which  had  been  hit  several  times,  fell  over 
her  side,  her  flag  was  run  down  amidst  tremendous  cheer- 
ing from  the  English  ship. 

Immediately  all  hands  were  engaged  in  disarming  and 
securing  the  French  prisoners.  When  these  had  been  sent 
below,  the  decks  of  both  ships  were  cleared  of  the  dead. 
Then  the  bulk  of  the  crew  set  to  work  to  cut  away  the 
wreckage,  secure  damaged  spars,  and  stop  holes  near  the 
water's  edge.  At  last  the  second  lieutenant,  who  was  now 
in  command,  had  time  to  turn  to  the  strangers.  Will  was 
superintending  the  work,  while  Dimchurch  and  Tom  were 
working  hand  in  hand  with  the  crew. 

"May  I  ask,"  said  the  lieutenant,  addressing  Will,  "who 
it  is  that  has  so  mysteriously  come  to  our  assistance?" 

"Certainly,"  said  Will,  laughing;  "I  had  quite  forgotten 
that  I  am  clothed  in  strange  garments.  I  am  a  midship- 
man belonging  to  the  Tartar.  One  of  my  companions  is  a 
boatswain's  mate,  and  the  other  is  an  A.B.  on  the  same 
ship.  We  were  sent  with  a  lieutenant  and  ten  men  to 
overhaul  a  craft  which,  though  she  was  somewhat  sus- 
picious looking,  seemed  to  have  but  a  small  crew.  When 
we  got  alongside  her,  however,  we  found  to  our  disgust 
that  she  was  manned  by  at  least  a  hundred  Algerines. 
The  lieutenant  and  seven  of  the  crew  were  killed,  and 
three  others,  my  two  companions,  and  myself  were  made 
prisoners  and  carried  to  Algiers.  We  three  escaped,  and, 
capturing  the  small  craft  which  you  will  see  lying  by  the 
side  of  your  ship,  made  for  the  open  sea.  An  Algerine 


232  BY  CONDUCT  AND  COURAGE 

nearly  recaptured  us  in  the  gale  yesterday,  but  fortunately 
she  carried  away  her  mast  and  we  again  escaped.  This 
morning  we  saw  two  ships  approaching  us,  and  when  we 
made  out  their  nationalities  we  knew  there  was  bound  to 
be  a  fight.  Naturally  we  made  for  your  ship,  and  when  we 
found  that  the  French  had  boarded  you  we  did  our  best 
to  aid  you  to  drive  them  back.  My  name  is  Gilmore." 

"Well,  Mr.  Gilmore,  I  have  to  thank  you  most  heartily 
for  the  very  efficacious  aid  you  have  rendered  us.  Things 
were  going  very  badly,  but  your  unexpected  appearance, 
your  strange  attire,  and  the  strength  and  bravery  with 
which  you  fought,  quite  turned  the  tables.  I  think/7  he 
said  with  a  laugh,  "the  French  must  have  taken  you  for 
three  devils  come  to  our  assistance,  and  certainly  you 
•could  not  have  fought  harder  if  you  had  been.  You 
will,  I  hope,  give  us  your  assistance  until  we  reach  Malta, 
to  which  port,  of  course,  I  shall  carry  the  prize.  Our  third 
lieutenant  is  severely  wounded,  and  I  have  lost  two  of  my 
midshipmen/' 

"Certainly,  sir,  and  I  will  place  myself  at  once  under 
your  orders." 

"The  two  midshipmen  who  have  fallen  were  the  seniors," 
the  lieutenant  said,  "and  as  you  must  be  two  or  three 
years  older  than  the  others  I'll  appoint  you  acting-lieuten- 
ant. Our  first  duty  here  will  be  to  rig  up  a  jury  foremast. 
I'll  appoint  you,  however,  temporary  commander  of  the 
Camille,  which  is,  I  see,  the  name  of  our  prize.  I  can 
only  spare  you  forty  men.  We  have  lost  forty-three  killed 
and  at  least  as  many  wounded,  and  I  have  therefore  only 
a  hundred  and  ten  altogether  fit  for  service,  and  must 
retain  seventy  for  the  work  of  refitting.  I  should  not 


233 

attempt  to  get  up  a  jury  mainmast  on  the  Camille.  It 
will  be  better  to  clear  away  the  wreckage  and  secure  her 
other  two  masts  in  case  we  meet  with  another  squall." 

"I  understand,  sir.  If  either  of  the  midshipmen  that 
have  been  killed  is  about  my  size,  I  should  be  glad  to  rig 
myself  out  with  a  suit  from  his  chest,  for  my  appearance 
at  present  is  rather  undignified  for  a  British  officer.  I 
should  also  be  glad  if  the  purser's  clerk  would  issue  a 
couple  of  suits  for  my  two  men.  I  may  tell  you  that  they 
have  been  with  me  in  every  ship  in  which  I  have  served,  and 
indeed  entered  the  navy  with  me.  I  therefore  regard  them 
quite  as  personal  friends.  The  bigger  of  the  two  held  the 
position  of  boatswain  under  me  in  a  small  craft  of  which 
I  had  command  in  the  West  Indies,  as  well  as  on  the 
Tartar." 

"Very  well,  then,  by  all  means  give  him  the  temporary 
rank  of  boatswain  on  board  the  Camille,  and  you  can 
appoint  the  other  as  boatswain's  mate." 

"Thank  you,  sir!  I  am  very  much  obliged.  It  would 
be  difficult  to  find  two  better  men." 

In  ten  minutes  Will  was  attired  in  a  midshipman's 
uniform,  and  his  two  companions,  to  their  great  relief,  in 
the  clothes  of  British  seamen.  They  then  crossed  to  the 
Camille  with  the  forty  men  whom  the  lieutenant  had  told 
off  as  a  prize  crew.  Work  was  at  once  begun,  and  before 
sundown  the  fore  and  mizzen  masts  were  as  firmly  secured 
as  if  the  mainmast  were  still  in  its  place.  Will  felt  that 
they  could  now  meet  a  storm  without  uneasiness.  Next 
morning  the  repairs  to  the  hull  were  begun,  pieces  of  plank 
covered  with  tarred  canvas  being  nailed  over  the  shot- 
holes,  and  ere  the  day  was  done  the  Camille  had  a  fairly 


234  BY  CONDUCT  AND  COURAGE 

presentable  appearance.  Meanwhile  the  crew  of  the 
Lysander  had  been  hard  at  work,  and  had  got  the  jury 
foremast  into  position  and  securely  stayed. 

"You  have  made  a  very  good  job  of  the  prize,  Mr.  Gil- 
more,"  the  lieutenant  said.  "Of  course  she  is  a  lame  duck 
without  her  mainmast,  but  we'll  sail  together,  and  so  will 
show  a  good  face  to  any  single  ship  we  may  meet." 

"I  should  certainly  think  so,  sir.  Should  any  ship 
heave  in  sight  I  will  get  all  the  guns  loaded  on  both 
broadsides.  Of  course,  I  should  only  be  able  to  work 
one  side  at  a  time,  but  with  forty  good  men  I  could  keep 
up  a  pretty  hot  fire." 

"I  will  give  you  ten  more,  Mr.  Gilmore.  Now  that  our 
repairs  are  finished  I  can  manage  that  easily,  and  as  the 
Camille  is  a  bigger  ship  than  the  Lysander  you  ought 
certainly  to  have  as  many  as  can  be  spared." 

"Thank  you,  sir !  I  am  sure  I  could  make  a  good  fight 
with  that  number,  and  as  we  have  covered  all  the  shot- 
holes  with  canvas,  and  so  do  not  appear  to  be  injured  in 
the  hull,  I  don't  think  any  one  ship  would  think  of 
meddling  with  us,  unless,  of  course,  she  were  a  line-of- 
battle  ship.  In  that  case  our  chance  would  be  a  small 
one,  although,  by  presenting  a  resolute  front,  we  might 
cause  her  to  sheer  off  without  engaging  us." 

Fortunately  they  fell  in  with  no  enemy  on  their  way  to 
Malta.  When  they  arrived  in  port  the  lieutenant  went  to 
the  flag-ship  with  his  report.  The  admiral  was  greatly 
pleased  at  the  capture,  and  he  was  specially  interested 
when  he  learned  the  share  that  Will  and  his  two  com- 
panions had  taken  in  the  fight,  and  the  manner  in  which 
Will  had  performed  his  duties  while  in  command  of  the 
Camille. 


235 

"Gilmore?"  he  asked.  "That  is  the  name  of  a  young 
midshipman  who  was  on  board  the  Furious.  Is  that  the 
man?" 

"I  believe  he  is,  sir." 

"Well,  tell  him  to  come  and  see  me  when  he  is  dis- 
engaged." 

The  lieutenant  reported  this  when  he  returned,  and  a 
little  later  Will  went  on  board  the  flag-ship. 

"Well,  Mr.  Gilmore,"  said  the  admiral,  "so  you  are 
still  to  the  fore.  I  read  some  time  ago  the  official  report 
of  a  midshipman  of  your  name  in  the  West  Indies  who  had 
captured  two  vessels,  each  larger  than  the  craft  he  com- 
manded, and  I  wondered  whether  it  was  the  lad  I  had  met 
here." 

Will  acknowledged  that  he  had  commanded  on  that 
occasion. 

"It  shows  that  the  admiral  there  was  as  struck  as  I  was 
myself  with  your  doings,  that  he  should  have  appointed 
you  to  command  that  craft,  when  he  must  have  had  so 
many  senior  midshipmen  to  select  from.  What  had  you 
done?" 

"It  was  really  nothing,  sir.  We  were  lying  off  a  pirate 
stronghold,  but  could  not  get  at  it,  as  our  ship  was  too 
deep  for  the  shallow  approaches.  In  the  course  of  con- 
versation in  the  midshipmen's  mess  I  happened  to  suggest 
that  if  we  got  hold  of  some  native  craft  we  might  be  able 
to  beard  the  lion  in  his  den,  and  one  of  the  elder  midship- 
men reported  the  idea  to  one  of  the  lieutenants,  who 
passed  it  on  to  the  captain,  who  put  it  into  execution.  The 
result  was  that  we  captured  two  vessels  and  a  very  large 
amount  of  plunder  which  they  had  stored  on  an  island.  I 


236  BY  CONDUCT  AND  COUKAGE 

got  a  great  deal  more  credit  than  was  due  to  me,  for  I  had 
only  suggested  the  plan  when  joking  with  my  companions, 
and  the  captain  improved  upon  it  greatly  in  carrying  it 
out.  It  was  very  good  of  him  to  mention  in  his  report 
that  the  original  idea  was  mine." 

"It  was  a  good  plan/5  the  admiral  said,  "and  you  well 
deserve  the  credit  you  got.  And  so  it  was  for  that  that 
you  got  the  command  of  the  cutter!  Tell  me  about  the 
capture  of  those  two  pirate  vessels." 

Will  related  the  story  of  the  trap  that  had  been  formed 
for  L' Agile,  and  the  manner  in  which  he  had  captured 
his  two  opponents. 

"Admirably  managed,  Mr.  Gilmore,"  the  admiral  said. 
^'How  much  longer  have  you  to  serve?" 

"I  have  another  year  yet,  sir." 

"Well,  a  commission  is  to  sit  here  next  week  to  pass 
midshipmen.  I  will  direct  them  to  examine  you,  and  will 
see  that  you  get  your  step  the  day  you  finish  your  term 
of  service.  If  I  had  the  power  I  would  pass  you  at  once, 
but  that  is  one  of  the  things  an  admiral  cannot  do.  But 
how  was  it  that  you  got  on  board  the  Lysander?" 

Will  related  the  story  of  his  captivity  with  the  Algerines 
and  his  escape. 

"Just  what  I  should  have  expected  of  you,"  the  admiral 
said.  "I  fancy  it  would  take  a  very  strong  prison  to  hold 
you.  Well,  tell  Lieutenant  Hearsey  that  I  shall  expect  him 
to  dinner  to-day,  and  that  he  is  to  bring  you  with  him. 
I'll  ask  two  or  three  other  officers  to  meet  you,  and  you 
shall  then  tell  the  story  of  your  adventures." 

A  post-captain  and  three  other  captains  dined  that 
evening  with  the  admiral,  and  when  Will  had  modestly 


BACK   ON   THE   " TARTAR"  237 

related  his  adventures  they  complimented  him  highly. 
Two  of  them  happened  to  be  on  the  examining  committee, 
and  consequently  Will  passed  almost  without  question.  A 
few  days  later  he  was  appointed  temporarily  to  a  ship 
bound  for  the  blockading  fleet  of  Toulon,  where  he  was 
informed  he  would  probably  find  his  own  ship.  When 
he  and  his  two  companions  rejoined  the  Tartar  they  were 
warmly  congratulated  on  their  escape  from  Algiers. 

"I  am  sorry  for  the  loss  of  Lieutenant  Saxton,"  the 
captain  said,  when  Will  had  reported  the  manner  in  which 
they  had  been  captured.  "He  was  a  good  officer,  and  in 
this  case  he  was  not  to  blame.  With  our  telescopes  we 
could  only  see  a  few  men  on  board  the  Algerine,  and  they 
must  have  kept  up  the  deception  till  the  last.  It  is  to  be 
regretted  that  you  followed  her  so  far  out  of  reach  of  our 
guns,  though,  so  far  as  his  fate  was  concerned,  we  could 
not  have  altered  it  even  if  we  had  been  within  easy  range. 

"At  any  rate,  Mr.  Gilmore,  you  were  by  no  means  to 
blame  in  the  affair,  and  I  congratulate  you  on  having 
effected  your  escape  with  your  two  followers." 

They  had  only  rejoined  the  Tartar  a  short  time  when, 
on  the  5th  February,  1794,  the  captain  was  signalled  to 
proceed  with  a  small  squadron  that  was  to  sail,  under 
Captain  Linzee  of  the  Alcide,  as  commodore,  to  Corsica, 
where  a  force  under  General  Paoli  had  asked  for  assistance 
in  their  endeavours  to  regain  their  freedom. 

The  chief  strongholds  of  that  island  were  the  fortified 
towns  of  San  Fiorenzo,  Bastia,  and  Calvi.  These  towns 
are  near  each  other,  and  as  the  troops  scornfully  rejected 
his  summons  to  surrender,  the  commodore  was  placed  in  a 
difficulty.  The  force  under  his  command  was  not  strong 


238  BY  CONDUCT  AND  COUKAGE 

enough  to  blockade  the  three  forts  at  once,  while  they 
were  so  near  each  other  that  to  blockade  one  or  two  and 
leave  the  entrance  to  the  other  open  would  have  been 
useless.  He  determined  at  first  to  take  Forneilli,  a  forti- 
fied place  two  miles  from  San  Fiorenzo,  but  when  he 
opened  the  attack  he  found  that  it  was  so  much  more 
strongly  fortified  than  he  had  anticipated  that  its  capture 
could  not  be  effected  without  more  loss  than  the  gain  of 
the  position  would  justify. 

Lord  Hood  then  placed  a  squadron  of  frigates  under 
Captain  Nelson's  command  to  cruise  off  the  north- 
western coast  of  the  island  so  as  to  prevent  supplies  being 
introduced,  and  he  also  sailed  there  himself  with  some 
of  his  seventy-fours  and  a  body  of  soldiers  under  Major- 
general  Dundas.  Before  he  arrived,  Nelson  had  done 
something  towards  facilitating  his  enterprise,  for,  having 
learned  that  the  French  in  San  Fiorenzo  drew  their  sup- 
plies of  flour  from  a  mill  near  the  shore,  he  landed  a  body 
of  seamen  and  soldiers  and  burnt  the  mill,  threw  into  the 
sea  all  the  flour  contained  in  it  and  in  a  large  store- 
house close  to  it,  and  regained  his  ship  without  the  loss 
of  a  man. 

When  Lord  Hood  arrived  he  ordered  Nelson  to  land  on 
the  island  to  prevent  supplies  from  getting  into  Bastia, 
and  took  charge  of  the  siege  of  San  Fiorenzo  himself.  On 
his  way  Nelson  captured  the  town  of  Maginaggio,  routed 
the  garrison,  and  destroyed  a  great  quantity  of  provisions 
which  were  being  prepared  for  a  number  of  French  vessels 
in  the  harbour.  Lord  Hood  commenced  the  siege  by 
attacking  the  town  of  Mortella.  The  garrison  fought  with 
great  bravery  and  inflicted  heavy  loss  upon  the  Fortitude, 


239 

seventy-four  guns,  to  which  the  task  of  battering  was 
assigned.  As  she  was  evidently  getting  the  worst  of  it,  the 
Fortitude  was  withdrawn,  but  the  shore  batteries  were 
more  successful,  and  the  place  being  set  on  fire  the  garri- 
son surrendered. 

The  Convention  redoubt  was  the  next  place  to  be 
attacked.  It  was  fortified  in  a  most  formidable  manner, 
and  indeed  was  so  strongly  constructed  as  to  withstand 
any  ordinary  attack.  A  short  distance  away,  however,  was 
a  rock  rising  seven  hundred  feet  above  the  level  of  the 
sea,  which  entirely  commanded  it.  This  the  enemy  had 
left  unfortified  and  unguarded  because  they  believed  it  was 
inaccessible.  In  many  places  it  was  almost  perpendicular, 
and  though  there  was  a  path  leading  to  the  summit,  this 
was  in  very  few  places  wide  enough  to  allow  more  than  one 
person  to  ascend  at  a  time.  Admiral  Hood  in  person 
reconnoitred  and  decided  that  a  battery  could  be  formed 
on  the  summit. 

The  next  day  Will  was  on  shore  in  command  of  a  party 
of  thirty  men  who  were  to  start  getting  up  the  guns.  The 
sailors  looked  at  the  rock  and  at  the  guns  in  dismay. 

"La,  Mr.  Gilmore,"  one  of  them  said,  "we  can  never  get 
them  up  there !  In  the  first  place  it  is  too  steep,  and  in 
the  second  it  is  too  rough.  It  would  take  two  hundred 
men  to  do  it,  and  even  they  would  not  be  much  good,  for 
the  path  winds  and  twists  so  much  that  they  could  not 
put  their  strength  on  together." 

Will  looked  at  the  path,  and  at  the  hill  on  which  the 
new  battery  was  to  be  formed. 

"You  see,  sir,"  another  said,  "the  path  would  have  to 
be  blasted  in  lots  of  places  to  make  room  for  the  guns, 
and  we  have  got  no  tools  for  the  job." 


240  BY    CONDUCT   AND   COURAGE 

Will  did  not  answer.  He  saw  that  what  the  men  said 
was  correct.  Presently,  however.,  his  eye  fell  upon  an 
empty  rum  puncheon,  and  at  once  his  thoughts  flashed 
back  to  the  West  Indies. 

"Wheel  that  puncheon  here,  men." 

Much  surprised,  the  men  did  as  they  were  ordered. 

"Now  knock  out  both  ends,  and  when  you  have  tight- 
ened the  hoops  again,  fill  the  barrel  about  a  third  full  with 
sticks,  grass,  bits  of  wood,  anything  you  can  come  across." 

The  men  scattered  at  once  to  collect  the  ballast,  with 
some  doubts  in  their  minds  as  to  whether  the  midshipman 
had  not  gone  out  of  his  senses.  In  about  fifteen  minutes 
they  had  carried  out  his  instructions. 

"Dismount  the  gun,"  he  then  ordered,  "and  put  it  inside 
the  barrel." 

When  this  had,  with  some  difficulty,  been  accomplished, 
and  the  barrel  surrounded  the  centre  of  the  gun,  he  said : 
"Now  fill  up  the  barrel  with  the  rest  of  that  rubbish." 

The  sailors  had  now  caught  the  idea,  and  very  soon 
they  had  the  gun  tightly  packed  into  its  novel  carriage. 
Two  long  ropes  were  then  passed  round  the  puncheon, 
the  ends  being  carried  a  little  way  up  the  hill.  Thio 
formed  a  parbuckle,  and  when  the  men  hauled  upon  the 
upper  lengths  of  the  ropes  the  cask  easily  rolled  up  to  the 
ends  of  the  lower  lengths.  This  operation  was  repeated 
again  and  again,  and  gradually  the  cask  moved  up  the 
rock.  At  places  it  had  to  be  hauled  up  lengthways,  boards 
being  placed  underneath  it  to  give  it  a  smooth  surface 
over  which  to  glide  instead  of  the  rough  rock,  and  men 
encouraging  it  behind  with  levers.  While  they  were  at 
work  Nelson  came  up  and  stood  watching  them  for  some 
minutes  without  speaking. 


BACK   ON   THE   "TARTAR"  241 

"Where  did  you  learn  how  to  do  that  ?"  he  said  to  Will 
at  last. 

"I  heard  of  it  at  the  siege  of  St.  Pierre,  sir." 

"Well,  you  profited  by  your  lesson.  It  is  a  pleasure  to 
see  a  young  fellow  use  his  wits  in  that  way.  But  for  your 
sharpness  I  question  whether  we  should  ever  have  got  the 
guns  up  there.  I  was  looking  at  it  myself  yesterday,  and 
I  doubted  then  whether  it  was  at  all  practicable.  You 
have  settled  the  question  for  me,  and  I'll  not  forget  you. 
What  is  your  name,  sir?" 

"Gilmore  of  the  Tartar" 

Nelson  made  a  note  of  it  and  walked  away. 

The  work  took  two  days  of  tremendous  labour,  the  sea- 
men being  relieved  three  times  a  day.  Will  was  constantly 
on  the  spot  directing  and  superintending  the  operations, 
and  had  the  satisfaction  at  last  of  seeing  six  guns  placed 
on  the  summit  of  the  rock. 

Next  morning  the  besieged  were  astonished  when  the 
guns  opened  fire  upon  them  from  the  rock,  for,  the  path 
being  at  the  back,  they  had  not  seen  what  was  going  on. 
As  they  could  obtain  no  shelter  from  this  attack,  and 
there  was  no  possibility  of  silencing  the  guns,  they  hastily 
abandoned  the  post  and  retreated  on  San  Fiorenzo.  The 
battery  on  the  rock,  however,  also  commanded  the  town, 
which,  accordingly,  had  to  be  abandoned  on  the  following 
day,  the  garrison  retiring  to  the  adjoining  ridge  of  ground 
and  to  Bastia,  which  was  considered  the  strongest  place  in 
the  island. 

The  capture  of  San  Fiorenzo  was  the  more  valuable, 
inasmuch  as  in  the  harbour  were  two  frigates,  the  Minerve 
and  La  Fortunee,  both  of  which  became  our  prizes.  The 


242  BY  CONDUCT  AND  COURAGE 

Minerve,  thirty-eight  guns,  was  sunk  by  the  French,  but 
was  weighed  by  our  men  and  taken  into  the  service,  when 
she  was  renamed  the  San  Fiorenzo. 

Nelson  was  immensely  pleased  with  the  manner  in 
which  the  operation  of  getting  the  guns  up  the  rock  had 
been  performed,  and  requested  the  captain  of  the  Tartar 
that  Will  should  be  permanently  stationed  on  shore  to  act 
as  his  own  aide-de-camp,  a  request  which  was,  of  course, 
complied  with. 

In  the  meantime  Nelson  had  reconnoitred  Bastia  and  the 
neighbouring  coast,  and  recommended  that  troops  and 
cannon  be  disembarked,  for  he  was  convinced  that  a  land 
force  of  about  a  thousand,  in  co-operation  with  a  few 
ships,  would  be  sufficient  to  reduce  the  place.  Unfortu- 
nately the  general  commanding  the  troops  was  one  of  the 
most  irresolute  of  men,  and  when,  after  a  few  days,  he 
resigned  the  command,  in  consequence  of  his  differences 
with  Lord  Hood,  his  successor,  General  D'Aubant,  was 
still  more  incapable.  He  pronounced  at  once  that,  though 
the  force  at  his  command  was  almost  double  that  which 
Nelson  asked  for,  it  was  insufficient  for  the  work  required 
of  it.  Nelson,  burning  with  indignation,  decided  that  the 
attempt  to  take  Bastia  must  be  made,  and  that  if  the  army 
would  not  do  it  the  navy  must. 

Lord  Hood  agreed  with  him,  but  even  when  it  was 
decided  to  undertake  the  siege,  D'Aubant  insisted  on  their 
doing  without  a  single  soldier  or  a  single  cannon,  and, 
retiring  to  San  Fiorenzo,  kept  his  men  inactive  while  the 
sailors  were  performing  the  work.  On  the  17th  of  Febru- 
ary, 1794,  the  fortified  town  of  Mareno,  a  little  to  the 
north  of  Bastia,  was  captured,  and  four  days  later  a  recon- 


BACK   ON   THE   " TARTAR"  243 

naissance  was  made.  Nelson's  ship,  the  Agamemnon,  was 
supported  by  the  Tartar  and  the  frigate  Romulus.  As 
they  passed  slowly  in  front  of  the  town  thirty  guns  opened 
upon  them  with  shot  and  shell.  Nelson  lowered  his  sails, 
and  for  an  hour  and  three-quarters  peppered  the  forts  so 
warmly  that  at  last  the  French  garrison  deserted  their 
guns.  One  battery,  containing  six  guns,  was  totally  de- 
stroyed. The  citizens  of  Bastia  were  eager  to  surrender, 
but  the  governor  declared  that  he  would  blow  up  the  city 
if  such  a  step  were  taken.  Two  days  later  Nelson  was  pre- 
paring to  repeat  the  blow,  but  a  sudden  calm  set  in,  and 
he  could  not  get  near  the  town.  In  a  short  time  the  op- 
portunity for  carrying  the  place  by  assault  passed  away, 
as  the  French  officers  were  indefatigable  in  strengthening 
their  fortifications,  and  soon  rendered  the  town  practically 
impregnable. 

Nelson,  however,  maintained  the  blockade  in  spite  of 
heavy  weather,  and  in  the  middle  of  March  provisions  were 
so  short  in  the  place  that  a  pound  of  bread  was  selling  for 
half  a  crown.  Nelson  himself  was  almost  as  much  strait- 
ened for  provisions,  but  the  admiral  contrived  to  send  him 
a  supply. 

Nelson  pitched  a  tent  on  shore  and  personally  super- 
intended all  the  operations.  A  considerable  body  of  seamen 
were  landed,  and  worked  like  horses,  dragging  guns  up 
heights  that  appeared  inaccessible,  making  roads,  and 
cutting  down  trees  with  which  to  build  abattis. 


244  BY  CONDUCT  AND  COURAGE 

CHAPTER   XIII 

WITH   NELSON 

ONE  day  during  the  siege  Nelson  said  to  Will :  "I'll 
be  glad,  Mr.  Gilmore,  if  you  will  accompany  me  on 
an  excursion  along  the  shore.  I  have  my  eye  on  a  spot  from 
which,  if  we  could  get  guns  up  to  it,  we  should  be  able 
to  command  the  town.  From  what  I  have  seen  of  you 
I  believe  you  know  more  about  mounting  guns  than  any- 
one here,  so  I'll  be  glad  to  have  your  opinion  of  the 
position." 

Will  of  course  expressed  his  willingness  to  go,  and  they 
at  once  started  in  the  gig.  They  rowed  on  for  some  time, 
keeping  a  sharp  look-out  for  suitable  landing-places.  At 
last  Nelson  bade  the  men  lie  on  their  oars,  and  pointed  to 
the  ridge  of  which  he  had  spoken. 

"Well,  what  do  you  say  ?"  he  asked,  after  Will  had  made 
a  careful  examination  of  it  from  the  boat. 

"I  am  afraid  it  would  not  be  possible,  sir,  to  carry  out 
your  plan.  The  labour  of  getting  the  guns  up  from  the 
shore  would  be  enormous,  and  considering  the  rugged 
state  of  the  country  I  question  if  they  could  be  taken 
across  to  the  ridge  when  they  were  up." 

"No ;  I  agree  with  you.  I  did  not  examine  it  so  closely 
before;  and  at  any  rate,  underhanded  as  we  are,  we  could 
not  spare  enough  men  for  the  business.  We  may  as  well, 
however,  row  a  bit  along  the  shore.  I  am  convinced  that 


WITH   NELSON  245 

if  we  could  land  three  or  four  hundred  men  within  five  or 
six  miles  of  the  town,  and  attack  it  simultaneously  on  both 
sides,  we  should  carry  it  without  much  trouble.  The 
French  have  been  fighting  well,  but  they  must  have  been 
losing  heart  for  .some  time.  A  Frenchman  hates  to  be 
cornered,  and  as  they  see  our  batteries  rising  they  cannot 
but  feel  that  sooner  or  later  they  must  give  in.  I  fancy 
by  this  time  they  are  asking  each  other  what  use  it  is  to 
keep  on  being  killed  when  they  must  surrender  in  the 
end." 

They  had  rowed  on  for  a  couple  of  hours  without  fixing 
on  a  suitable  place,  when  Nelson  exclaimed :  "We  are  going 
to  be  caught  in  a  fog.  That  is  distinctly  unpleasant. 
Have  we  a  compass  in  the  boat?"  he  said,  turning  to  the 
coxswain. 

"No,  sir.  I  thought  you  were  only  going  to  row  out  to 
the  ship,  and  did  not  think  of  bringing  one  with  me." 

"Never  forget  a  compass,  my  man,"  Nelson  said,  "for 
though  the  sky  may  be  blue  when  you  start,  a  sudden 
storm  may  overtake  you  and  blow  you  far  from  your  ship. 
However,  it  can't  be  helped  now." 

In  less  than  ten  minutes  the  boat  was  enveloped  in  a 
dense  fog.  The  position  was  decidedly  awkward.  Had 
there  been  any  wind  they  could  have  steered  by  the  sound 
of  the  surf  breaking  at  the  foot  of  the  cliffs,  but  the  sea 
was  absolutely  calm,  and  they  could  hear  nothing.  They 
rowed  on  for  some  time,  and  then  Nelson  said:  "Lay  in 
your  oars,  men ;  we  may  be  pulling  in  the  wrong  direction 
for  all  we  know.  We'll  have  to  remain  here  till  this  fog 
lifts,  even  if  it  takes  a  week  to  clear.  This  is  a  northerly 
fog,"  he  said  to  Will.  "Cold  wind  comes  down  from  the 


246  BY  CONDUCT  AND  COURAGE 

Alps  and  condenses  when  it  reaches  the  sea.  These  fogs 
are  not  very  common,  but  they  sometimes  last  for  a  con- 
siderable time." 

The  afternoon  passed,  and  presently  night  fell.  There 
was  no  food  of  any  kind  in  the  boat.  The  men  chewed 
their  quids,  but  the  two  officers  could  not  indulge  in  that 
relief.  At  night  Nelson  and  Will  wrapped  themselves  in 
their  boat-cloaks  and  made  themselves  as  comfortable  as 
they  could,  getting  uneasy  snatches  of  sleep.  Morning 
broke  and  there  was  no  change;  a  white  wall  of  fog  rose 
all  round  the  boat. 

"This  is  awkward/'  Nelson  said.  "I  wish  one  of  the 
batteries  would  fire  a  few  guns;  that  might  give  us  some 
indication  as  to  our  position,  though  I  am  by  no  means 
sure  that  in  this  thick  atmosphere  the  sound  would  reach 
so  far.  I  think  we  were  about  eleven  miles  away  when  the 
fog  caught  us." 

In  the  afternoon  a  breeze  sprang  up. 

"God  grant  that  it  may  continue  I"  Nelson  said. 
"Slight  as  it  is,  two  or  three  hours  of  it  might  raise  as 
well,  and  we  might  then  hear  the  wash  of  the  waves  on  the 
rocks." 

Hour  after  hour  passed,  but  at  last  the  coxswain  said: 
"I  think  I  hear  a  faint  sound  over  on  the  right." 

"I  have  thought  so  some  little  time,"  Will  said,  "but 
I  would  not  speak  until  I  was  sure." 

"Out  oars,"  Nelson  ordered,  "and  row  in  that  direc- 
tion." The  sound  became  more  and  more  distinct  as  they 
proceeded,  and  soon  they  were  satisfied  that  they  were 
heading  for  the  land.  In  a  quarter  of  an  hour  the  boat 
ran  up  on  a  sandy  beach. 


WITH   NELSON  247 

"I  have  not  seen  this  spot  before,  it  must  therefore  be 
farther  away  from  the  town  than  the  point  we  had 
reached,  and  as  we  have  been  nearly  twenty-four  hours  in 
the  fog  the  current  may  have  taken  us  a  good  many  miles. 
However,  we  will  land.  I  am  parched  with  thirst,  and  you 
must  be  the  same,  lads.  Leave  two  men  in  the  boat;  the 
rest  of  us  will  go  in  search  of  water  and  bring  some  down 
to  those  left  behind  when  we  find  it.  I  think  we  had  better 
scatter  and  look  for  some  way  up  the  cliff.  If  we  can 
find  a  path  we  must  follow  it  until  we  come  to  some  house 
or  other.  Where  there  is  a  house  there  must  be  water. 
Mr.  Gilmore  and  I  will  go  to  the  right.  If  any  of  you 
find  water,  shout;  we  will  do  the  same.  But  whether  you 
find  water  or  not,  come  down  to  the  boat  in  three  hours' 
time.  Thirsty  or  not  thirsty,  we  must  row  back  to  the 
town  this  evening.  Now,  Mr.  Gilmore,  we  will  walk  along 
the  beach  until  we  come  to  a  path,  or  at  any  rate  some 
place  where  we  can  climb.  I  hope,  as  we  get  higher,  the 
fog  will  become  less  dense." 

For  an  hour  they  groped  their  way  along  the  foot  of 
the  cliff,  and  then,  finding  a  place  where  it  seemed  not  so 
steep  as  elsewhere,  began  to  climb.  When  they  had 
reached  a  height  of  some  three  or  four  hundred  feet  they 
emerged  from  the  fog  into  bright  sunshine.  Below  them 
stretched  a  white  misty  lake.  On  all  sides  rose  hill  above 
hill,  for  the  most  part  covered  to  the  top  by  foliage. 

"I  see  some  smoke  rising  from  among  the  trees  over 
there  to  the  right,  sir,  a  mile  or  a  mile  and  a  half  away." 

"I  will  take  your  word  for  it,  Mr.  Gilmore.  As  you 
know,  my  sight  is  not  at  all  in  good  condition.  Let  us  be 
off  at  once,  for  the  very  thought  of  water  makes  me 
thirstier  than  ever." 


248  "BY   COOTTJCT   AOT)   COTJEAGE 

Half  an  hour's  walking  brought  them  to  the  hut  of  a 
peasant.  The  owner  came  to  the  door  as  they  approached, 
He  was  a  rough-looking  man  in  a  long  jacket  made  of 
goat-skin,  coarse  trousers  reaching  down  to  the  knee,  and 
his  legs  bound  with  long  strips  of  wadding.  "Who  are 
you,"  he  asked  in  his  own  language,  "and  how  come  you 
here  ?"  As  neither  of  the  officers  understood  one  word  of 
the  patois  of  the  country  they  could  only  make  signs  that 
they  wanted  something  to  eat  and  drink.  The  peasant 
understood,  and  beckoned  to  them  to  come  into  the  hut. 
As  they  entered  he  gave  some  instructions  to  a  boy,  who 
went  out  and  presently  returned  with  a  jug  of  water. 
While  the  officers  were  quenching  their  thirst  the  boy 
went  out  again,  and  the  man  brought  from  a  cupboard 
some  black  bread  and  goats'-milk  cheese,  which  he  set 
before  them. 

"I  don't  altogether  like  that  man's  movements,  sir.  He 
crawls  about  as  if  he  were  trying  to  put  away  as  much  time 
as  possible.  The  boy,  too,  has  disappeared." 

"Perhaps  he  has  gone  to  get  some  more  water,"  Nelson 
suggested. 

"He  could  have  gone  a  dozen  times  by  now,  sir.  It  is 
possible  that  he  takes  us  for  French  officers.  A  peasant 
living  in  such  a  spot  as  this,  sixteen  or  twenty  miles  from 
a  town,  might  not  even  know  that  there  are  English  troops 
in  the  country." 

Having  satisfied  their  hunger  and  thirst,  they  tried  to 
make  the  man  understand  that  they  were  willing  to  buy  all 
the  bread  and  cheese  he  had,  together  with  a  large  jar  for 
carrying  water. 

The  man  showed  a  prodigious  amount  of  stupidity,  and 


WITH   NELSON  249 

although  his  eyes  glistened  when  Nelson  produced  gold,  he 
still  seemed  unable  to  understand  that,  having  had  as 
much  as  they  could  eat,  they  wanted  to  buy  more.  At  last 
Nelson,  in  a  passion,  said :  "Look  here,  my  man,  there  is 
a  sovereign,  which  is  worth  at  least  twenty  times  your 
miserable  store  of  bread  and  cheese.  If  you  don't  choose 
to  accept  the  money  you  needn't,  but  we  will  take  the  food 
whether  or  no,"  and  he  pointed  to  his  store.  As  he  spoke 
there  was  a  sound  of  footsteps  outside,  and  a  moment  later 
the  door  was  darkened  by  the  entry  of  a  dozen  wild  figures, 
who  flung  themselves  upon  the  two  officers  before  they 
had  time  to  make  any  effort  to  defend  themselves. 

In  vain  Nelson  attempted  in  French  and  Italian  to 
make  himself  understood.  The  men  would  not  listen,  but 
poured  out  objurgations  upon  them  whenever  they  at- 
tempted to  speak.  The  word  Frangais  frequently  occurred 
in  their  speeches,  mixed  up  with  what  were  evidently  ex- 
pressions of  hatred. 

"This  is  awkward,  Mr.  Gilmore,"  Nelson  said  quietly 
as  they  lay  bound  together  in  a  corner  of  the  hut.  "A 
more  unpleasant  situation  I  was  never  in." 

"I  was  in  one  as  bad  once  before.  I  was  captured  by  a 
band  of  negroes  in  Cuba,  and  they  were  preparing  to  burn 
me  alive  when  I  managed  to  escape." 

"I  should  not  be  at  all  surprised  if  that  is  what  these 
gentlemen  are  preparing  to  do  now,  Gilmore.  I  am  sorry 
I  have  brought  you  into  this." 

"It  cannot  be  helped,  sir,"  Will  said  cheerfully;  "and 
if  they  do  kill  us,  my  loss  to  the  nation  will  be  as  nothing 
compared  with  yours.  There  is  no  doubt  they  take  us  for 
French  officers  who  have  lost  their  way  in  the  mountains, 


250  BY  CONDUCT  AND  COURAGE 

and  they  are  preparing  to  punish  us  for  the  misdeeds  of 
our  supposed  countrymen.  There  are  only  two  things  that 
could  help  us  out  of  this  plight  so  far  as  I  can  see.  One 
is  the  arrival  of  a  priest ;  I  suppose  they  have  priests  here- 
abouts with  a  knowledge  of  French  or  Italian.  The  other 
is  the  appearance  on  the  scene  of  our  boat's  crew." 

"Both  are  very  unlikely,  I  am  afraid.  The  crew,  you 
know,  all  went  the  other  way." 

"Yes,  sir ;  but  it  is  just  possible  that  they  may  have  seen 
the  smoke  of  this  hut  also,  and  be  making  their  way  here. 
Though  I  looked  carefully  on  all  sides  I  could  see  no  other 
signs  of  life." 

"It  is  possible,"  Nelson  said;  "but  for  my  part  I  think 
the  priest  the  more  likely  solution,  if  there  is  to  be  a  solu- 
tion. Well,  it  is  a  comfort  to  know  that  we  have  eaten  a 
hearty  meal  and  shall  not  die  hungry  or  thirsty.  It  was 
foolish  of  us  to  come  up  here  alone,  knowing  what  wild 
savages  these  people  in  the  mountains  are.  It  would  have 
been  better  to  have  gone  on  suffering  ten  or  twelve  hours 
longer  and  to  have  made  our  way  to  the  fleet  by  following 
close  in  by  the  foot  of  the  rocks." 

"I  don't  think  we  could  have  done  it  in  that  time,  sir. 
We  should  have  had  to  keep  within  an  oar's  length  of  the 
rocks,  and  so  must  have  progressed  very  slowly.  Besides, 
we  might  have  staved  in  the  boat  at  any  moment." 

"That  is  so.  Still,  we  were  only  drifting  for  about 
twenty-four  hours,  and  we  shouldn't  have  taken  so  long 
to  go  back.  Even  twenty-four  hours  of  hunger  and  thirst 
would  have  been  better  than  this.  It  is  useless,  however, 
to  think  of  that  now." 

In  the  meantime  the  men  were  engaged  in  a  noisy  talk, 


WITH   NELSON  251 

each  one  apparently  urging  his  own  view.  At  last  they 
seemed  to  come  to  an  agreement,  and  four  of  them,  going 
to  the  corner,  dragged  the  two  officers  to  their  feet,  and 
hauled  them  out  of  the  cottage.  Then  they  bound  them 
to  trees  seven  or  eight  feet  apart,  and  piled  faggots  round 
them.  When  this  was  done  they  amused  themselves  by 
dancing  wildly  round  their  prisoners,  taunting  them  and 
heaping  execrations  upon  them. 

"The  sooner  this  comes  to  an  end  the  better,"  Nelson 
said  quietly.  "Well,  Mr.  Gilmore,  we  have  both  the  satis- 
faction of  knowing  that  we  have  done  our  duty  to  our 
country.  After  all,  it  makes  no  great  difference  to  a  man 
whether  he  dies  in  battle  or  is  burnt,  except  that  the  burn- 
ing method  lasts  a  little  longer.  But  it  won't  last  long 
in  our  case,  I  fancy.  Do  you  notice  that  these  faggots  are 
all  lately  cut?  We'll  probably  be  suffocated  before  the 
flames  touch  us." 

"I  see  that,  sir,  and  am  very  grateful  for  it." 

The  dance  was  finished,  and  two  men  brought  brands 
from  the  cottage. 

"Listen,  Mr.  Gilmore,"  said  Nelson  at  this  moment. 
"I  think  I  can  hear  footsteps ;  I  am  sure  I  heard  a  branch 
crack." 

Brands  were  applied  to  the  faggots,  but  these  were  so 
green  that  at  first  they  would  not  catch.  At  this,  several 
of  the  peasants  rushed  into  the  cottage,  and  were  returning 
with  larger  brands,  when  some  figures  suddenly  appeared 
at  the  edge  of  the  little  clearing  in  the  direction  from 
which  Nelson  had  heard  sounds.  They  stood  silent  for  a 
minute  looking  at  the  scene,  and  then  with  a  loud  shout 
they  rushed  forward  with  drawn  cutlasses  and  attacked  the 


252  BY  CONDUCT  AND  COURAGE 

natives.  Four  or  five  of  the  peasants  were  cut  down,  and 
the  remainder  fled  in  terror. 

"Thank  God,  your  honour,  we  have  arrived  in  time !"  the 
coxswain  said  as  he  cut  Nelson's  bonds,  while  another  sailor 
liberated  Will. 

"Thank  God  indeed !  Now,  my  lads,  we  have  not  a 
moment  to  lose.  Those  fellows  are  sure  to  gather  a  number 
of  their  comrades  at  the  nearest  village,  and  I  have  no 
wish  to  see  any  more  of  them.  Go  into  that  hut ;  you  will 
find  enough  bread  and  cheese  there  to  give  you  each  a  meal, 
and  there  is  a  spring  of  water  close  by." 

The  sailors  scattered  at  once,  and  were  not  long  in  dis- 
covering the  spring.  .  There  they  knelt  down  and  drank 
long  and  deeply.  Then  they  went  into  the  cottage  and 
devoured  the  bread  and  cheese,  which,  although  far  from 
being  sufficient  to  satisfy  them,  at  least  appeased  their 
hunger  for  a  time.  After  they  had  finished  they  all  went 
back  to  the  spring  for  another  drink.  Then,  taking  some 
bread  and  cheese  and  a  large  jug  of  water  for  the  boat 
keepers,  they  followed  Nelson  and  Will  from  the  place 
which  had  so  nearly  proved  fatal  to  their  officers.  They 
went  down  the  hill  at  a  brisk  pace  until  they  reached  the 
top  of  the  fog.  After  this  they  proceeded  more  cautiously. 
They  had  no  longer  any  fear  of  pursuit,  for,  once  in  the 
fog,  it  would  require  an  army  to  find  them.  At  last  they 
reached  the  strand  and  found  the  boat.  When  the  two 
men  who  had  been  left  in  charge  had  finished  their  share 
of  the  food  and  water,  Nelson  said : 

"Now,  my  lads,  we  must  row  on.  If  we  keep  close  to  the 
foot  of  the  rocks,  that  is,  within  fifty  yards  of  them,  the 
noise  of  the  waves  breaking  will  be  a  sufficient  guide  to 
prevent  our  getting  too  far  out  to  sea." 


WITH    NELSON  253 

"May  I  be  so  bold  as  to  ask  how  far  we'll  have  to  row  ?" 
the  coxswain  said. 

"That  is  more  than  I  can  tell  you.  It  may  be  a  little 
over  eleven  miles,  it  may  be  twice  or  even  three  times 
that  distance.  Now,  however,  that  you  have  had  some- 
thing to  eat  and  drink  you  can  certainly  row  on  until  we 
reach  the  ships." 

"That  we  can,  sir.  We  feel  like  new  men  again,  though 
we  did  feel  mighty  bad  before." 

"So  did  we,  lads.  Now,  it  is  of  no  use  your  trying  to 
row  racing  pace ;  take  a  long,  quiet  stroke,  and  every  hour 
or  two  rest  for  a  few  minutes." 

"It  will  be  dark  before  very  long,"  Nelson  remarked 
quietly  to  Will  when  the  men  began  to  row ;  "but  fortunately 
that  will  make  no  difference  to  us,  as  we  are  guided  not  by 
our  eyes  but  by  our  ears.  There  is  more  wind  than  there  was, 
and  on  a  still  night  like  this  we  can  hear  the  waves  against 
the  rocks  half  a  mile  out,  so  there  is  no  fear  of  our  losing 
our  way,  and  it  will  be  hard  indeed  if  we  don't  reach  the 
ships  before  daylight.  The  boat  is  travelling  about  four 
knots  an  hour.  If  the  current  has  not  carried  us  a  good 
deal  farther  than  we  imagine,  five  or  six  hours  ought  to 
take  us  there." 

The  hours  passed  slowly.  Sometimes  the  men  had  to 
row  some  distance  seaward  to  avoid  projecting  headlands. 
At  last,  however,  about  twelve  o'clock,  Will  exclaimed : 

"I  hear  a  ripple,  sir,  like  the  water  against  the  bow  of  a 
ship." 

"Easy  all !"  Nelson  said  at  once. 

The  order  was  obeyed,  and  all  listened  intently.  Pres- 
ently there  was  a  general  exclamation  as  the  sound  of  foot- 
steps was  heard  ahead. 


254  BY  CONDUCT  AND  COURAGE 

"That  is  a  marine  pacing  up  and  down  on  sentry.  Give 
way,  lads." 

In  a  few  minutes  a  black  mass  rose  up  close  in  front  of 
them.  The  coxswain  put  the  helm  down,  and  the  boat 
glided  along  the  side  of  the  ship.  As  she  did  so  there 
came  the  sharp  challenge  of  a  sentry : 

"Who  goes  there  ?    Answer,  or  I  fire." 

"It  is  all  right,  my  man ;  it  is  Captain  Nelson." 

"Wait  till  I  call  the  watch,  Captain  Nelson,"  the  sentry 
replied  in  the  monotonous  voice  of  his  kind. 

"Very  well,  sentry,  you  are  quite  right  to  do  your  duty." 

In  half  a  minute  an  officer's  voice  was  heard  above,  and 
a  lantern  was  shown  over  the  side. 

"Is  it  you,  sir  ?"  he  asked. 

"Yes;  what  ship  is  this?" 

"The  Romulus" 

"Can  you  lend  me  a  compass?" 

"Yes,  sir,  I  will  fetch  one  in  a  moment." 

"Thank  you !"  Nelson  said  when  the  officer  returned 
with  the  instrument.  "I  have  lost  my  bearings  in  the  fog, 
and  I  want  to  get  to  my  tent  on  shore.  I  know  its  exact 
bearings,  however,  from  this  ship." 

Twenty  minutes'  row  brought  them  to  the  landing- 
place.  Nelson's  first  thought  was  for  the  crew,  and,  going 
to  the  storehouse  close  at  hand,  he  knocked  some  of  the 
people  up,  and  saw  that  they  were  supplied  with  plenty  of 
food  and  drink.  Then  he  went  into  his  tent.  Here  the 
table  was  spread,  with  various  kinds  of  food  standing 
on  it.  His  servant  being  called  up,  a  kettle  was  boiled, 
and  he  and  Will  sat  down  to  a  hearty  meal. 

"Do  }'ou  know  what  has  been  said  about  us  in  our 
absence,  Chamfrey?"  Nelson  asked  his  servant. 


WITH   NELSON  255 

"No,  sir;  everything  has  heen  upset  hy  this  fog.  They 
sent  down  from  the  batteries  to  enquire  where  you  and 
Mr.  Gilmore  were,  and  we  could  only  say  that  we  sup- 
posed you  were  on  board  the  ship.  They  sent  from  the 
ships  to  ask,  and  we  could  only  say  that  we  didn't  know, 
but  supposed  that  you  were  somewhere  up  in  the  batteries. 
Some  thought,  when  you  did  not  return  this  afternoon, 
that  you  had  lost  your  way  in  the  fog;  but  no  one  seemed 
to  think  that  anything  serious  could  have  happened  to 
you." 

Nelson  got  up  and  went  to  where  the  boat's  crew  were 
sitting,  after  having  finished  their  meal. 

"Coxswain,  here  are  two  guineas  for  yourself  and  a 
guinea  for  each  of  the  men.  Now  I  want  every  man  of  you 
to  keep  his  mouth  tightly  shut  about  what  has  happened. 
I  promise  you  that  if  any  man  blabs  he  will  be  turned 
out  of  my  gig.  You  understand  ?" 

"Yes,  sir,"  they  replied  together.  "You  can  trust  us  to 
keep  our  mouths  shut.  We  will  never  say  a  word  about  it." 

"That  is  a  good  thing,"  Nelson  remarked  when  he 
returned  to  Will.  "If  what  has  happened  came  to  be 
known,  I  should  get  abused  by  Lord  Hood  for  having  gone 
so  far  away  and  run  so  great  a  risk.  Of  course,  as  you  and 
I  are  aware,  there  would  have  been  no  risk  at  all  if  that 
fog  had  not  set  in  and  we  had  not  forgotten  to  bring  a 
compass.  But,  you  know,  a  naval  man  is  supposed  to 
foresee  everything,  and  I  should  have  been  blamed  just 
as  much  as  if  I  had  rowed  into  the  fog  on  purpose.  I 
should  have  had  all  the  captains  in  the  fleet  remonstrating 
with  me,  and  they  would  be  saying:  'I  knew,  Nelson,  the 
way  you  are  always  running  about,  that  you  would  get 


256  BY  CONDUCT  AND  COURAGE 

into  some  scrape  or  other  one  of  these  days.'  A  report, 
indeed,  might  be  sent  to  England,  enormously  magnified, 
of  course,  with  the  headings :  'Captain  Nelson  lost  in  a 
fog  !'  'Captain  Nelson  roasted  alive  by  Corsican  brigands !' 
I  would  not  have  the  news  get  about  for  five  hundred 
guineas.  I  don't  suppose  my  absence  was  noticed  the 
first  day.  It  was  known,  of  course,  that  I  went  off  in  my 
gig;  but  as  I  sometimes  sleep  here  and  sometimes  on 
board  my  ship,  the  fact  that  I  was  not  in  either  place 
would  not  cause  surprise.  As  for  to-day,  if  any  questions 
are  asked,  I'll  simply  say  that  I  lost  my  way  in  the  fog 
and  did  not  return  here  until  late  at  night,  a  tale  which 
will  have  the  advantage  of  being  true." 

"You  may  be  sure,  sir,  that  no  word  shall  pass  my  lips 
on  the  matter." 

"I  am  quite  sure  of  that,  Mr.  Grilmore.  I  shall  never 
forget  this  danger  we  have  shared  together,  nor  how  well 
you  bore  the  terrible  trial.  I  shall  always  regard  you  as 
one  of  my  closest  comrades  and  friends,  and  when  the  time 
.comes  will  do  my  best  to  further  your  interests.  I  have 
not  much  power  at  present,  as  one  of  Lord  Hood's  cap- 
tains, but  the  time  may  come  when  I  shall  be  able  to  do 
something  for  you,  and  I  can  assure  you  that  when  that 
opportunity  arrives  I  shall  need  no  reminder  of  my 
promise." 

By  the  llth  of  April,  1794,  the  three  batteries  were 
completed,  and  they  at  once  opened  fire  on  the  town.  The 
garrison  vigorously  replied  with  hot  shot,  which  set  fire 
to  a  ship  that  had  been  converted  into  a  battery.  Still 
D'Aubant  remained  inactive.  The  sailors,  fired  with  in- 
dignation, worked  even  harder  than  before.  Nelson  now 


WITH   NELSON  257 

felt  confident  of  success.  He  predicted  that  the  place 
would  fall  between  the  llth  and  17th  of  May,  and  his  pre- 
diction was  fulfilled  almost  to  the  letter,  for  at  four 
o'clock  on  the  afternoon  of  the  llth  a  boat  came  out  from 
the  town  to  the  Victory  offering  to  surrender.  That  after- 
noon, General  D'Aubant,  having  received  some  reinforce- 
ments from  Gibraltar,  arrived  from  San  Fiorenzo  only  to 
find  that  the  work  he  had  pronounced  impracticable  had 
been  done  without  his  assistance. 

Will  had  spent  the  whole  of  his  time  during  the  siege  on 
shore.  He  had  laboured  incessantly  in  getting  the  guns 
up  to  their  positions,  and  had  been  placed  in  command  of 
one  of  the  batteries.  Nelson  specially  recommended  him 
for  his  services,  and  Lord  Hood  mentioned  him  in  his 
despatches  to  the  Admiralty  at  home. 

No  sooner  had  Bastia  fallen  than  the  admiral  deter- 
mined to  besiege  Calvi,  the  one  French  stronghold  left  in 
the  island.  The  news,  came,  however,  that  a  part  of  the 
French  fleet  had  broken  out  of  Toulon,  and  Lord  Hood  at 
once  started  in  pursuit,  leaving  Nelson  to  conduct  the 
operations. 

Taking  the  troops,  which  were  now  commanded  by 
General  Stuart,  a  man  of  very  different  stamp  from  D'Au- 
bant, Nelson  landed  them  on  the  19th  of  June  without 
opposition  at  a  narrow  inlet  three  miles  and  a  half  from 
the  town.  A  body  of  seamen  were  also  landed  under  Will. 
These  instantly  began,  as  at  Bastia,  to  get  the  guns  up 
the  hills  to  form  a  battery. 

The  enemy  were  strongly  protected  with  four  outlying 
forts.  There  were  also  in  the  harbour  two  French  frigates, 
the  Melpomene  and  the  Mignonne.  The  proceedings  re- 


258  BY  CONDUCT  AND  COURAGE 

sembled  those  at  Bastia.  The  work  accomplished  was  tre- 
mendous, and  batteries  sprang  up  as  if  by  magic. 

At  the  end  of  June  Lord  Hood  returned  from  watching 
the  French,  and  the  work  proceeded  even  more  vigorously 
than  before.  As  at  Bastia,  Nelson  animated  his  men  by 
his  energy  and  example.  He  himself  was  wounded  by 
some  stones  which  were  driven  up  by  a  shot  striking  the 
ground  close  to  him,  and  lost  the  sight  of  his  right  eye 
for  ever.  But  although  his  suffering  was  very  severe  he 
would  not  interrupt  his  labours  for  a  single  day.  Pres- 
ently the  batteries  opened  fire,  and  one  by  one  the  outlying 
forts  were  stormed,  and  the  town  itself  attacked.  At  last, 
on  the  1st  of  August,  the  enemy  proposed  a  capitulation. 
This  was  granted  to  them  on  the  terms  that  if  the  Toulon 
fleet  did  not  arrive  in  seven  days  they  would  lay  down 
their  arms,  and  surrender  the  two  frigates.  The  Toulon 
fleet  was,  however,  in  no  position  to  risk  a  battle  with 
Lord  Hood's  powerful  squadron,  and  accordingly  on  the 
10th  the  garrison  surrendered  and  marched  out  of  the 
great  gate  of  the  town  with  the  honours  of  war.  Nelson 
was  exultant  at  the  thought  that  the  capture  of  this  town, 
as  well  as  Bastia,  was  the  achievement  of  his  sailors,  that 
the  batteries  had  been  constructed  by  them,  the  guns 
dragged  up  by  them,  and  with  the  exception  only  of  a 
single  artillery-man  all  the  guns  also  fought  by  them. 

Will  gained  very  great  credit  by  his  work.  He  had  a 
natural  gift  for  handling  heavy  weights,  and  he  had 
thoroughly  learnt  the  lesson  that  the  power  and  endur- 
ance of  English  sailors  could  surmount  obstacles  that 
appeared  insuperable. 


THE   GLORIOUS   FIRST   OF   JUNE  259 

CHAPTEE   XIV 

THE   GLORIOUS   FIRST   OF   JUNE 

IT  was  while  besieging  Calvi  that  the  news  came  of  the 
great  sea-battle  fought  in  the  Channel  by  Lord  Howe, 
and  very  much  interested  were  the  sailors  on  shore  in 
Corsica  at  hearing  the  details  of  the  victory.  A  vast  fleet 
had  assembled  at  Spithead  under  the  command  of  the 
veteran  Lord  Howe.  It  had  two  objects  in  view  besides 
the  primary  one  of  engaging  the  enemy.  First,  the  con- 
voying of  the  East  and  West  India  and  Newfoundland 
merchant  fleets  clear  of  the  Channel;  and  next,  of  inter- 
cepting a  French  convoy  returning  from  America  laden 
with  the  produce  of  the  West  India  Islands.  It  consisted 
of  thirty-four  line-of -battle  ships  and  fifteen  frigates,  while 
the  convoy  numbered  ninety-nine  merchantmen. 

On  2d  May,  1794,  the  fleet  sailed  from  Spithead,  and 
on  the  5th  they  arrived  off  the  Lizard.  Here  Lord  Howe 
ordered  the  convoys  to  part  company  with  the  fleet,  and 
detached  Rear-admiral  Montagu  with  six  seventy-fours 
and  two  frigates  with  orders  to  see  the  merchantmen  to 
the  latitude  of  Cape  Finisterre,  where  their  protection  was 
to  be  confided  to  Captain  Rainier  with  two  battle-ships  and 
four  frigates. 

Lord  Howe  now  proceeded  to  Ushant,  where  he  dis- 
covered, by  means  of  his  frigates,  that  the  enemy's  fleet 
were  quietly  anchored  in  the  harbour  of  Brest. 


260  BY  CONDUCT  AND  COUEAGE 

He  therefore  proceeded  in  search  of  the  American  con- 
voy. After  cruising  in  various  directions  for  nearly  a 
fortnight  he  returned  to  Ushant  on  the  18th  May,  only  to 
find  that  Brest  harbour  was  empty.  News  was  obtained 
from  an  American  vessel  that  the  French  fleet  had  sailed 
from  that  harbour  a  few  days  before.  It  afterwards 
turned  out  that  the  two  fleets  had  passed  quite  close  to 
each  other  unseen,  owing  to  a  dense  fog  that  prevailed  at 
the  time.  They  were  exactly  the  same  strength  in  num- 
bers, but  the  French  carried  much  heavier  guns,  and  their 
crews  exceeded  ours  by  three  thousand  men. 

For  more  than  a  week  the  two  fleets  cruised  about  in  the 
Bay  of  Biscay,  each  taking  many  prizes,  but  without  meet- 
ing. At  last,  early  on  the  morning  of  the  28th  of  May, 
they  came  in  sight  of  each  other.  The  French  were  to 
windward,  and,  having  a  strong  south-west  wind  with 
them,  they  came  down  rapidly  towards  us,  as  if  anxious 
to  fight.  Presently  they  shortened  sail  and  formed  line 
of  battle.  Howe  signalled  to  prepare  for  battle,  and 
having  come  on  to  the  same  tack  as  the  French,  stood 
towards  them,  having  them  on  his  weather  quarter.  Soon, 
however,  the  French  tacked  and  seemed  to  retreat.  A 
general  chase  was  ordered,  and  the  English  ships  went  off 
in  pursuit  under  full  sail.  Between  two  and  three  o'clock 
the  Russell,  which  was  the  fastest  of  the  seventy-fours, 
began  to  exchange  shots  with  the  French,  and  towards 
evening  another  seventy-four,  the  Bellerophon,  began  a 
close  action  with  the  Revolutionnaire,  one  hundred  and 
ten  guns.  The  Bellerophon  soon  lost  her  main-topmast, 
and  dropped  back;  but  the  fight  with  the  great  ship  was 
taken  up,  first  by  the  Leviathan  and  afterwards  by  the 


THE   GLORIOUS   FIRST   OF   JUNE  261 

Audacious,  both  seventy-fours,  which,  supported  by  two 
others,  fought  her  for  three  hours.  By  that  time  the 
Revolutionnaire  had  a  mast  carried  away  and  great  dam- 
age done  to  her  yards,  and  had  lost  four  hundred  men. 
When  darkness  fell  she  was  a  complete  wreck,  and  it  was 
confidently  expected  that  in  the  morning  she  would  fall 
into  our  hands.  At  break  of  day,  however,  the  French  ad- 
miral sent  down  a  ship  which  took  her  in  tow,  for  her  other 
mast  had  fallen  during  the  night,  and  succeeded  in  taking 
her  in  safety  to  Eochefort.  The  Audacious  had  suffered 
so  severely  in  the  unequal  fight  that  she  was  obliged  to 
return  to  Plymouth  to  repair  damages. 

During  the  night  the  hostile  fleets  steered  under  press  of 
canvas  on  a  parallel  course,  and  when  daylight  broke  were 
still  as  near  together  as  on  the  previous  day,  but  the  firing 
was  of  a  desultory  character,  Lord  Howe's  efforts  to  bring 
on  a  general  engagement  being  thwarted  by  some  of  the 
ships  misunderstanding  his  signals.  The  next  day  was 
one  of  intense  fog,  but  on  the  31st  the  weather  cleared, 
and  the  fleets  towards  evening  were  less  than  five  miles 
apart.  A  general  action  might  have  been  brought  on,  but 
Lord  Howe  preferred  to  wait  till  daylight,  when  signals 
could  more  easily  be  made  out.  Our  admiral  was  sur- 
prised that  none  of  the  French  ships  showed  any  damage 
from  the  action  of  the  29th.  It  was  afterwards  found  that 
they  had  since  been  joined  by  four  fresh  ships,  and  that 
the  vessels  that  had  suffered  most  had  been  sent  into  Brest. 

During  the  31st  various  manoeuvres  had  been  performed, 
which  ended  by  giving  us  the  weather-gage;  and  the  next 
morning,  the  1st  of  June,  Lord  Howe  signalled  that  he 
intended  to  attack  the  enemy,  and  that  each  ship  was  to 


262  BY  CONDUCT  AND  COURAGE 

steer  for  the  one  opposed  to  her  in  the  line.  The  ships 
were  arranged  so  that  each  vessel  should  be  opposite  one 
of  equal  size.  The  Defence  led  the  attack,  and  came  under 
a  heavy  fire.  The  admiral's  ship,  the  Queen  Charlotte, 
pressed  forward,  replying  with  her  quarter-deck  guns  only 
to  the  fire  of  some  of  the  French  ships  which  assailed  her 
as  she  advanced,  keeping  the  fire  of  her  main-deck  guns 
for  the  French  admiral,  whom  he  intended  to  attack.  So 
close  and  compact,  however,  were  the  French  lines  that 
it  was  no  easy  matter  to  pass  through.  As  the  Queen 
Charlotte  came  under  the  stern  of  the  Montague  she 
poured  in  a  tremendous  fire  from  her  starboard  guns  at 
such  close  quarters  that  the  rigging  of  the  two  vessels 
was  touching.  The  Jacobin,  the  next  ship  to  the  Mon- 
tagne,  shifted  her  position  and  took  up  that  which  the 
Queen  Charlotte  had  intended  to  occupy.  Lord  Howe  then 
engaged  the  two  vessels,  and  his  fire  was  so  quick  that  ere 
long  both  had  to  fall  out  of  the  fight.  A  furious  combat 
followed  between  the  Queen  Charlotte  and  the  Juste,  in 
which  the  latter  was  totally  dismasted.  The  former  lost 
her  main-topmast,  and  as  she  had  previously  lost  her  fore- 
topmast  she  became  totally  unmanageable. 

Thus  almost  single-handed,  save  for  the  distant  fire  of 
the  Invincible,  Lord  Howe  fought  these  three  powerful 
ships.  At  this  time  a  fourth  adversary  appeared  in  the 
Republicain,  one  hundred  and  ten  guns,  carrying  the  flag 
of  Rear-admiral  Bouvet.  Just  as  they  were  going  to  en- 
gage, however,  the  Gibraltar  poured  in  a  broadside,  bring- 
ing down  the  main  and  mizzen-masts  of  the  Frenchman, 
who  bore  up  and  passed  under  the  stern  of  the  Queen 
Charlotte,  but  so  great  was  the  confusion  on  board  her 
that  she  neglected  to  rake  the  flag-ship. 


THE   GLORIOUS   FIRST   OF   JUNE  263 

The  Montagne,  followed  by  the  Jacobin,  now  crowded 
on  all  sail;  and  Lord  Howe,  thinking  they  intended  to 
escape,  gave  the  order  for  a  general  chase,  but  they  were 
joined  by  nine  other  ships,  and  wore  round  and  sailed 
towards  the  Queen.  This  craft  was  almost  defenceless, 
owing  to  the  loss  of  her  mainmast  and  mizzen-topmast. 

Seeing  her  danger,  Lord  Howe  signalled  to  his  ships  to 
close  round  her,  and  he  himself  wore  round  and  stood  to 
her  assistance. 

He  was  followed  by  five  other  battle-ships,  and  Admiral 
Villaret-Joyeuse  gave  up  the  attempt  and  sailed  to  help 
his  own  crippled  ships,  and,  taking  five  of  them  in  tow, 
made  off. 

Six  French  battle-ships  were  captured,  and  the  Vengeur, 
which  had  been  engaged  in  a  desperate  fight  with  the 
Brunswick,  went  down  ten  minutes  after  she  surrendered. 

The  British  loss  in  the  battle  of  the  1st  of  June,  and  in 
the  preliminary  skirmishes  of  the  28th  and  29th  of  May, 
was  eleven  hundred  and  forty-eight,  of  whom  two  hundred 
and  ninety  were  killed  and  eight  hundred  and  fifty-eight 
wounded. 

The  French  placed  their  loss  in  killed  and  mortally 
wounded  at  three  thousand,  so  that  their  total  loss  could 
not  have  been  much  under  seven  thousand. 

Decisive  as  the  victory  was,  it  was  the  general  opinion 
in  the  fleet  that  more  ought  to  have  been  done;  that  the 
five  disabled  ships  should  have  been  taken,  and  a  hot 
chase  instituted  after  the  flying  enemy.  Indeed,  the  only 
explanation  of  this  inactivity  was  that  the  admiral,  who 
was  now  an  old  man,  was  so  enfeebled  and  exhausted  by 
the  strain  through  which  he  had  gone  as  to  be  incapable 
of  coming  to  any  decision  or  of  giving  any  order. 


264  BY  CONDUCT  AND  COURAGE 

One  of  the  most  desperate  combats  in  this  battle  was 
that  which  took  place  between  the  Brunswick,  seventy-four 
guns,  under  Captain  John  Harvey,  and  the  Vengeur,  also 
a  seventy-four.  The  Brunswick  had  not  been  engaged  in 
the  battles  of  the  28th  and  29th  of  May,  but  she  played  a 
brilliant  part  on  the  1st  of  June.  She  was  exposed  to  a 
heavy  fire  as  the  fleet  bore  down  to  attack,  and  she  suffered 
some  losses  before  she  had  fired  a  shot.  She  steered  for 
the  interval  between  the  Achille  and  Vengeur.  The  former 
vessel  at  once  took  up  a  position  closing  the  gap,  and 
Captain  Harvey  then  ran  foul  of  the  Vengeur,  her  anchors 
hooking  in  the  port  fore  channels  of  the  Frenchman. 

The  two  ships  now  swung  close  alongside  of  each  other, 
and,  paying  off  before  the  wind,  they  ran  out  of  the  line, 
pouring  their  broadsides  into  each  other  furiously. 

The  upper-deck  guns  of  the  Vengeur  got  the  better  of 
those  of  the  Brunswick,  killing  several  officers  and  men, 
and  wounding  Captain  Harvey  so  severely  as  to  compel 
him  to  go  below. 

At  this  moment  the  Achille  bore  down  on  the  Bruns- 
wick's quarter,  but  was  received  by  a  tremendous  broad- 
side, which  brought  down  her  remaining  mast,  a  foremast. 
The  wreck  prevented  the  Achille  from  firing,  and  she  sur- 
rendered ;  but  as  the  Brunswick  was  too  busy  to  attend  to 
her,  she  hoisted  a  sprit-sail — a  sail  put  up  under  the  bow- 
sprit— and  endeavoured  to  make  off. 

Meantime  the  Brunswick  and  Vengeur,  fast  locked,  con- 
tinued their  desperate  duel.  The  upper-deck  guns  of  the 
former  were  almost  silenced,  but  on  the  lower  decks  the 
advantage  was  the  other  way.  Alternately  depressing  and 
elevating  their  guns  to  their  utmost  extent,  the  British 


THE   GLORIOUS   FIRST   OF   JUNE  265 

sailors  either  fired  through  their  enemy's  bottom  or  ripped 
up  her  decks. 

Captain  Harvey,  who  had  returned  to  the  deck,  was 
again  knocked  down  by  a  splinter,  but  continued  to  direct 
operations  till  he  was  struck  in  the  right  arm  and  so 
severely  injured  as  to  force  him  to  give  up  the  command, 
which  now  devolved  on  Lieutenant  Cracroft,  who,  how- 
ever, continued  to  fight  the  ship  as  his  captain  had  done. 

After  being  for  some  three  hours  entangled,  the  two 
ships  separated,  the  Vengeur  tearing  away  the  Bruns- 
wick's anchor.  As  they  drifted  apart,  some  well-aimed 
shots  from  the  Brunswick  smashed  her  enemy's  rudder- 
post  and  knocked  a  large  hole  in  the  counter.  At  this 
moment  the  Ramitties,  sailing  up,  opened  fire  at  forty 
yards'  distance  at  this  particular  hole.  In  a  few  minutes 
she  reduced  the  Vengeur  to  a  sinking  condition,  and  then 
proceeded  to  chase  the  AchiUe.  The  Vengeur  now  surren- 
dered. The  Brunswick,  however,  could  render  no  assist- 
ance, all  her  boats  being  damaged,  but,  hoisting  what  sail 
she  could,  headed  northward  with  the  intention  of  making 
for  port.  During  the  fight  the  Brunswick  lost  her  mizzen, 
and  had  her  other  masts  badly  damaged,  her  rigging  and 
sails  cut  to  pieces,  and  twenty-three  guns  dismounted. 
She  lost  three  officers  and  forty-one  men  killed;  her  cap- 
tain, second  lieutenant,  one  midshipman,  and  one  hundred 
and  ten  men  wounded.  Captain  Harvey  only  survived  his 
wounds  a  few  months. 

The  greater  portion  of  the  crew  of  the  Vengeur  were 
taken  off  by  boats  of  the  Alfred,  Culloden,  and  Rattler, 
but  she  sank  before  all  could  be  rescued,  and  two  hundred 
of  her  crew,  most  of  whom  were  wounded,  were  drowned. 


266  BY  CONDUCT  AND  COURAGE 

Among  the  survivors  were  Captain  Renaudin  and  his  son. 
Each  was  ignorant  of  the  rescue  of  the  other,  and  when 
they  met  by  chance  at  Portsmouth  their  joy  can  be  better 
imagined  than  described. 

The  Tartar  returned  to  the  blockade  of  Toulon  after  the 
work  in  Corsica  was  done.  When  she  had  been  there  some 
time  she  was  ordered  to  cruise  on  the  coast,  where  there 
were  several  forts  under  which  French  coasting-vessels  ran 
for  shelter  when  they  saw  an  English  sail  approaching, 
and  she  was,  if  possible,  to  destroy  them.  There  was  one 
especially,  on  one  of  the  Isles  d'Hyeres,  which  the  Tartar 
was  particularly  ordered  to  silence,  as  more  than  any 
other  it  was  the  resort  of  coasters.  The  Tartar  sailed  in 
near  enough  to  it  to  exchange  shots,  and  so  got  some  idea 
of  the  work  they  had  to  undertake;  then,  having  learned 
all  she  could,  she  stood  out  to  sea  again.  All  preparations 
were  made  during  the  day  for  a  landing;  arms  were  dis- 
tributed, and  the  men  told  off  to  the  boats.  After  night- 
fall she  again  sailed  in,  and  arrived  off  the  forts  about 
midnight.  The  boats  had  already  been  lowered,  and  the 
men  took  their  places  in  them  while  the  Tartar  was  still 
moving  through  the  water,  and,  dividing  into  three  parties, 
made  respectively  for  the  three  principal  batteries. 

Dimchurch  was  not  in  the  boat  in  which  Will  had  a 
place,  as  he  rowed  stroke  of  the  first  gig  and  Will  was  in 
the  launch.  Tom  was  also  in  another  boat,  but  was  in 
the  same  division.  No  lights  were  to  be  seen,  and  abso- 
lute silence  reigned.  Noiselessly  the  men  landed  and 
formed  up  on  the  beach.  To  reach  the  batteries  they  had 
to  climb  the  cliff  by  a  zigzag  pathway,  up  which  they  were 


THE   GLORIOUS    FIRST   OF   JUNE  267 

obliged  to  go  in  single  file.  They  arrived  at  the  summit 
without  apparently  creating  a  suspicion  of  their  presence, 
and  then  advanced  at  a  run.  Suddenly  three  blue  lights 
gleamed  out,  illuminating  the  whole  of  the  ground  they 
had  to  traverse,  and  at  the  same  moment  a  tremendous 
volley  was  fired  from  the  battery.  Simultaneously  fire 
opened  from  the  other  batteries,  showing  that  the  boats' 
crews  had  all  arrived  just  at  the  same  instant,  and  that 
while  the  French  were  supposed  to  be  asleep  they  were 
awake  and  vigilant.  Indeed,  from  the  heaviness  of  the 
fire  there  was  little  question  that  the  force  on  the  island 
had  been  heavily  reinforced  from  the  mainland. 

Numbers  of  the  men  fell,  but  nevertheless  the  sailors 
rushed  forward  fearlessly  and  reached  the  foot  of  the  fort. 
This  was  too  high  to  be  climbed,  so,  separating,  they  ran 
round  to  endeavour  to  effect  an  entrance  elsewhere.  Sud- 
denly they  were  met  by  a  considerable  body  of  troops.  The 
first  lieutenant,  who  commanded  the  division,  whistled  the 
order  for  the  sailors  to  fall  back.  This  was  done  at  first 
slowly  and  in  some  sort  of  order,  but  the  fire  kept  up  on 
them  was  so  hot  that  they  were  compelled  to  increase  their 
pace  to  a  run.  A  stand  was  made  at  the  top  of  the  pass, 
as  here  the  men  were  only  able  to  retreat  in  single  file. 
At  length  the  survivors  all  reached  the  beach  and  took  to 
the  boats  again  under  a  heavy  fire  from  the  top  of  the 
cliffs,  which,  however,  was  to  some  extent  kept  down  by 
the  guns  of  the  Tartar.  The  other  divisions  had  suffered 
almost  as  severely,  and  the  affair  altogether  cost  the 
Tartar  fifty  killed  and  over  seventy  wounded.  Will  was 
in  the  front  rank  when  the  French  so  suddenly  attacked 
them,  and  was  in  the  rear  when  the  retreat  began.  Sud- 


268  BY  CONDUCT  AND  COURAGE 

denly  a  shot  struck  him  in  the  leg  and  he  fell.  In  the 
confusion  this  was  not  noticed,  and  he  lay  there  for  up- 
wards of  an  hour,  when,  the  fire  of  the  Tartar  having 
ceased,  the  French  came  out  with  lanterns  to  search  for 
the  wounded.  Will  was  lifted  and  carried  to  some  bar- 
racks behind  the  fort,  where  his  wound  was  attended  to. 
They  asked  whether  he  spoke  French,  and  as,  though  he 
had  studied  the  language  whenever  he  had  had  time  and 
opportunity  and  had  acquired  considerable  knowledge  of 
it,  he  was  far  from  being  able  to  speak  it  fluently,  he  re- 
plied that  he  did  not,  a  French  officer  came  to  him. 

"What  is  your  name,  monsieur?"  he  asked. 

"William  Gilmore." 

"What  is  your  rank?" 

"Midshipman." 

"Age?" 

"Nearly  nineteen." 

"Nationality,  English"  was  added. 

"What  ship  was  that  from  which  you  landed?" 

There  was  no  reason  why  the  question  should  not  be 
answered,  and  he  replied :  "The  Tartar *3  thirty-four 
guns." 

"Ah,  you  have  made  a  bad  evening's  business,  mon- 
sieur !"  the  officer  said.  "When  the  ship  was  seen  to  sail 
in  and  sail  away  again,  after  firing  a  few  shots,  we  felt 
sure  that  she  would  come  back  to-night,  and  five  hundred 
men  were  brought  across  from  the  mainland  to  give  you 
a  hot  reception.  And,  parbleu,  we  did  so." 

"You  did  indeed,"  Will  said,  "a  desperately  hot  recep- 
tion. I  cannot  tell  what  our  loss  -was,  but  it  must  have 
been  very  heavy.  You  took  us  completely  by  surprise, 


THE   GLORIOUS   FIRST   OF   JUNE  269 

which  was  what  we  had  intended  to  do  to  you.  Well,  it 
is  the  fortune  of  war,  and  I  must  not  grumble." 

"You  will  be  sent  to  Toulon  as  soon  as  you  can  be 
moved,  monsieur." 

Three  other  wounded  officers  had  fallen  into  the  hands 
of  the  enemy,  and  these  were  placed  in  the  same  room  as 
Will.  One  was  the  third  lieutenant,  another  the  master's 
mate,  and  the  third  was  a  midshipman.  They  were  well 
treated  and  cared  for  and  were  very  cheery  together,  with 
the  exception  of  the  lieutenant,  whose  wound  was  a  mortal 
one,  and  who  died  two  days  after  the  fight. 

A  month  after  their  reception  into  the  hospital  all  were 
able  to  walk,  and  they  were  taken  across  in  a  boat  to  the 
mainland  and  sent  to  Toulon.  They  were  all  asked  if  they 
would  give  their  parole,  and  though  his  two  companions 
agreed  to  do  so,  Will  refused.  He  was  accordingly  sent 
to  a  place  of  confinement,  while  the  other  two  were  allowed 
to  take  quarters  in  the  town. 

Will  was  privately  glad  of  this,  for,  though  both  were 
pleasant  fellows,  he  thought  that  if  he  were  to  make  his 
escape  it  must  be  alone,  and  had  the  others  been  quartered 
with  him  he  could  not  well  have  left  them.  His  prison 
was  a  fort  on  a  hill  which  ran  out  into  the  sea,  and  Will 
could  see  the  sails  of  the  blockading  vessels  as  they  cruised 
backwards  and  forwards.  He  also  commanded  a  view  over 
the  town,  with  its  harbour  crowded  with  shipping,  its 
churches,  and  fortifications.  He  longed  continually  for 
the  company  of  his  two  faithful  followers,  Dimchurch  and 
Tom.  They  had  been  with  him  in  all  his  adventures,  and 
he  felt  that  if  they  were  together  again  they  would  be  able 
to  contrive  some  plan  of  escape.  At  present  no  scheme 


270  BY  CONDUCT  AND  COURAGE 

occurred  to  him.  The  window  of  the  room  in  which  he 
was  confined  was  twenty  feet  from  the  ground,  and  was 
protected  by  iron  bars.  In  front  was  a  wall  some  twelve 
feet  high,  enclosing  a  courtyard  in  which  the  garrison 
paraded  and  drilled.  At  night  sentinels  were  planted  at 
short  intervals,  from  which  Will  concluded  that  there  must 
be  many  other  prisoners  besides  himself  in  the  fort.  He 
was  attended  by  an  old  soldier,  with  whom  he  often  had 
long  chats. 

"They  certainly  know  how  to  make  prisons/7  he  grum- 
bled to  himself.  "If  it  was  not  that  I  shall  never  lose 
hope  of  something  turning  up,  I  would  accept  my  parole." 

After  he  had  been  there  for  three  months  he  was  one 
day  led  out  and,  with  three  other  midshipmen,  taken  down 
to  a  prison  in  the  town.  He  had  no  doubt  that  prisoners 
of  more  importance  had  arrived,  and  that  he  and  the 
others  had  been  moved  to  make  way  for  them.  A  month 
later  they  were  again  taken  out,  and,  having  been  joined 
by  a  hundred  other  prisoners  under  a  strong  guard,  were 
marched  out  of  the  town.  There  were  five  officers  among 
them  and  the  rest  were  seamen.  All  were  glad  of  the 
change,  though  it  was  not  likely  to  be  for  the  better.  Will 
was  sorry,  inasmuch  as  at  Toulon  he  could  always  hope 
that  if  he  escaped  from  prison  he  would  be  able  to  get 
hold  of  a  boat  and  row  out  to  the  blockading  squadron. 
Inland  he  felt  that  escape  would  be  vastly  more  difficult. 
Even  if  he  got  out  of  prison  he  knew  but  little  French, 
and  therefore  could  hardly  hope  to  make  his  way  across 
country.  They  trudged  along  day  after  day,  each  accord- 
ing to  his  fancy,  some  sullen  and  morose,  others  making 
the  best  of  matters  and  trying  to  establish  some  speaking 


THE   GLOKIOUS   FIRST   OF   JUNE  271 

acquaintance  with  their  guards,  who  evidently  regarded 
the  march  as  a  sort  of  holiday  after  the  dull  routine  of 
life  in  a  garrison  town.  Will,  who  had  during  his  im- 
prisonment at  Toulon  studied  to  improve  his  French  to 
the  best  of  his  ability  by  the  aid  of  some  books  he  had 
obtained  and  by  chatting  with  his  jailer,  worked  his 
hardest  to  add  to  his  knowledge  of  the  language,  and  as 
the  French  soldiers  were  quite  glad  to  beguile  the  time 
away  by  talking  with  their  captives,  he  succeeded  at  the 
end  of  the  journey,  which  lasted  nearly  a  month,  in  being 
able  to  chat  with  a  certain  amount  of  fluency.  Verdun 
was  one  of  the  four  places  in  which  British  prisoners  were 
confined.  At  that  time  France  had  fifteen  thousand  pris- 
oners, England  forty  thousand.  By  an  agreement  between 
the  governments  these  were  held  captive  in  certain  prisons, 
so  that  they  could,  when  occasion  offered,  be  exchanged; 
but  owing  to  the  vastly  greater  number  of  English  prison- 
ers the  operation  went  on  very  slowly.  The  health  of  the 
prison  was  bad,  the  large  number  confined  in  the  narrow 
space,  and  the  lack  of  sanitary  arrangements,  causing  a 
vast  amount  of  fever  to  prevail. 

When  he  got  to  Verdun,  Will  continued  to  devote  him- 
self to  the  study  of  French.  He  knew  that,  should  he 
escape,  he  could  have  no  hope  of  finding  his  way  across 
country  unless  he  could  speak  the  language  fluently,  and 
accordingly  he  passed  the  whole  day  in  conversation  with 
the  guards  and  others  employed  about  the  prison.  These 
were  inclined  to  regard  his  anxiety  to  become  proficient 
in  the  language  as  a  national  compliment.  Some  of  the 
prisoners  also  knew  French  well,  so  that  at  the  end  of  four 
months  he  could  talk  with  perfect  fluency.  He  was  a  good 


272  BY  CONDUCT  AND  COURAGE 

deal  laughed  at  by  the  English  officers  for  the  zeal  he  was 
displaying  in  studying  French,  for,  as  they  said,  he  might 
as  well  try  to  get  to  the  moon  as  out  of  Verdun.  He 
accepted  their  chaff  good-humouredly,  and  simply  said: 
"Time  will  show,  but  for  my  part  I  would  as  soon  be  shot 
as  continue  to  live  as  prisoner  here." 

Many  of  the  prisoners  passed  their  time  in  manu- 
facturing little  trifles.  The  sailors,  for  the  most  part, 
made  models  of  ships;  some  of  them  were  adepts  at 
sewing  patchwork  quilts,  and  got  their  warders  to  pur- 
chase scraps  of  various  materials  for  the  purpose.  The 
soldiers  were  also,  many  of  them,  skilled  in  making 
knick-knacks.  These  were  sold  in  the  town,  chiefly  to 
country  people  who  came  into  market,  and  so  their  makers 
were  able  to  purchase  tobacco  and  other  little  luxuries.  A 
few  of  the  prisoners  were  allowed  every  day  to  go  into 
the  town,  which,  being  strongly  walled,  offered  no  greater 
facility  for  escape  than  did  the  prison  itself.  They  carried 
with  them  and  sold  their  own  manufactures  and  those  of 
other  prisoners,  and  with  the  proceeds  purchased  the 
things  they  required. 

Several  times  Will  was  one  of  those  allowed  out,  and  he 
set  himself  to  work  to  make  the  acquaintance  of  some  of 
the  townspeople.  As  he  was  one  of  the  few  who  could 
speak  French,  he  had  no  difficulty  in  getting  up  a  chatty 
acquaintance  with  several  people,  among  them  a  young 
girl  living  in  a  house  close  to  the  wall.  She  had  looked 
pitifully  at  him  the  first  time  he  had  come  out  with  a 
small  load  of  merchandise. 

"Ah,  my  poor  young  fellow,"  she  said  in  French,  "how 
hard  it  is  for  you  to  be  thus  kept  a  prisoner  far  from  all 
your  friends!" 


THE   GLORIOUS   FIRST   OF   JUNE  273 

"Thank  you,,  mademoiselle,"  he  said,  "but  it  is  the  for- 
tune of  war,  and  English  as  well  as  French  must  submit 
to  it." 

"You  speak  French  I"  she  said.  "Yes,  yes,  monsieur,  I 
feel  it  as  much  as  any.  There  is  one  who  is  very  dear  to 
me  a  prisoner  in  England.  He  is  a  soldier." 

"Well,  mademoiselle,  it  is  a  pity  that  they  don't  ex- 
change us.  We  give  a  lot  of  trouble  to  your  people,  and 
the  French  prisoners  give  a  lot  of  trouble  to  ours,  so  it 
would  be  much  better  to  restore  us  to  our  friends." 

"Ah !  that  is  what  I  say.  How  happy  I  should  be  if  my 
dear  Lucien  were  restored  to  me." 

So  the  acquaintance  became  closer  and  closer,  and  at 
last  Will  ventured  to  say:  "If  I  were  back  in  England, 
mademoiselle,  I  might  perhaps  get  your  Lucien  out.  You 
could  give  me  his  name  and  the  prison  in  which  he  is  con- 
fined, and  it  would  be  hard  if  I  could  not  manage  to  aid 
him  to  escape." 

"Ah,  monsieur,  that  would  be  splendid !"  the  girl  said, 
clasping  her  hands.  "If  you  could  but  get  away !" 

"Well,  mademoiselle,  I  think  I  could  manage  to  escape 
if  I  had  but  a  little  help.  For  example,  from  the  top 
window  of  this  house  I  think  I  could  manage  to  jump 
upon  the  wall,  and  if  you  could  but  furnish  me  with  a 
rope  I  could  easily  make  my  escape.  Of  course  I  should 
want  a  suit  of  peasant's  clothes,  for,  you  see,  I  should  be 
detected  at  once  if  I  tried  to  get  away  in  this  uniform. 
I  speak  French  fairly  now,  and  think  I  could  pass  as  a 
native." 

"You  speak  it  very  well,  monsieur,  but  oh,  I  dare  not 
help  you  to  escape !" 


274  BY  CONDUCT  AND  COURAGE 

"I  am  not  asking  you  to,  mademoiselle;  I  am  only  say- 
ing how  it  could  be  managed,  and  that  if  I  could  get  back 
to  England  I  might  aid  your  lover." 

The  girl  was  silent. 

"It  could  never  be,"  she  murmured. 

"I  am  not  asking  it,  mademoiselle ;  and  now  I  must  be 
going  on." 

The  next  time  he  came  she  said :  "I  have  been  thinking 
over  what  you  said,  monsieur,  and  I  feel  that  it  would  be 
cowardly  indeed  if  I  were  to  shrink  from  incurring  some 
little  danger  for  the  sake  of  Lucien.  I  know  that  he  would 
give  his  life  for  me.  We  were  to  have  been  married  in 
a  fortnight,  when  they  came  and  carried  him  off  to  the 
war.  Now  tell  me  exactly  what  you  want  me  to  do." 

"I  want  a  disguise,  the  dress  of  a  travelling  pedlar.  I 
could  give  you  two  English  sovereigns,  which  would  be 
ample  to  get  that.  I  want  also  a  rope  forty  feet  long. 
Then  you  must  let  me  go  up  through  your^  house  to  the 
top  story.  I  have  been  looking  at  it  from  behind,  and  see 
that  from  the  upper  window  I  could  climb  up  to  the  roof, 
and  I  am  sure  that  from  there  I  could  easily  jump  across 
the  narrow  lane  to  the  wall." 

"I  will  do  it,  monsieur,  partly  for  Lucien  and  partly 
because  you  are  kind  and  gentle  and,"  she  added  with  a 
little  blush  and  laugh,  "good-looking." 

"I  thank  you  with  all  my  heart,  mademoiselle,  and  I 
swear  to  you  that  when  I  get  to  England  I  will  spare  no 
pains  to  find  Lucien  and  aid  him  to  escape." 

"When  will  you  be  out  again,  monsieur?" 

"This  day  week." 

"I  will  have  everything  ready  by  that  time,"  she  said. 
"You  will  come  as  late  as  you  can  ?" 


THE   GLORIOUS   FIRST   OF   JUNE  275 

"Yes,  I  will  come  the  last  thing  before  we  all  have  to 
return  to  the  prison.  It  will  be  dark  half  an  hour  later." 

"But  there  are  sentries  on  the  walls,"  she  said. 

"Yes,  but  not  a  large  number.  The  prison  is  strongly 
guarded  at  night,  but  not  the  outer  walls;  I  have  often 
watched.  There  is  one  other  thing  which  I  shall  want, 
and  that  is  a  sack  in  which  to  put  this  long  box.  I  carry 
it,  as  you  see,  full  of  goods,  but  to-day  I  have  intentionally 
abstained  from  selling  any  of  them.  I  will  leave  the 
things  with  you  if  you  have  any  place  in  which  to  hide 
them." 

"I  will  put  them  under  my  bed,"  the  girl  said.  "My 
grand'mere  never  goes  into  my  room.  Besides,  she  is 
generally  away  at  the  time  you  will  arrive,  and  if  she  is 
not  she  will  not  hear  you  go  upstairs,  as  she  is  very  deaf. 
My  father  is  one  of  the  warders  of  the  prison,  and  only 
comes  home  once  a  week." 

Will  then  returned  to  the  prison.  When  the  appointed 
day  arrived  he  put  only  a  few  small  articles  into  his  box. 
For  these  he  paid  cash.  Then  he  said  good-bye  to  four 
or  five  of  the  officers  with  whom  he  was  most  friendly. 

"You  are  mad  to  try  to  escape,"  one  of  them  said,  "there 
is  no  getting  over  the  walls." 

"I  am  going  to  try  at  any  rate.  I  am  utterly  sick  of 
this  life." 

"But  you  may  be  exchanged  before  long." 

"It  is  most  improbable,"  he  said.  "Only  a  few  are  ex- 
changed at  a  time,  and  as  I  have  not  a  shadow  of  influence 
my  name  would  not  be  included  in  the  list." 

"But  how  are  you  going  to  attempt  it  ?" 

"Now  that  I  must  keep  to  myself.    A  plan  may  succeed 


276  BY  CONDUCT  AND  COURAGE 

once,  but  may  fail  if  it  is  tried  again.  I  really  think  I 
have  a  chance  of  getting  through,  but  of  course  I  may  be 
caught.  However,  I  am  going  to  take  the  risk." 

"Well,  I  wish  you  luck,  but  I  can  hardly  even  hope  that 
you  will  succeed." 

After  going  about  the  town  as  usual,  without  making 
any  serious  effort  to  sell  his  goods,  Will  made  his  way, 
towards  the  end  of  the  day,  to  the  house  in  the  lane. 
Marie  was  standing  at  the  door.  As  he  approached  she 
looked  anxiously  up  and  down  the  street,  to  be  certain 
that  there  was  no  one  there,  and  then  beckoned  to  him  to 
enter  quickly.  He  obeyed  at  once,  and  she  closed  the  door 
behind  him.  "Are  you  sure  no  one  saw  you  enter,  mon- 
sieur?" she  said. 

"Yes,"  he  said,  "I  am  quite  certain." 

"Now,"  said  Marie,  "you  must  go  at  once  up  to  the 
attic  in  case  my  grand'mere  should  come  in.  I  have 
everything  ready  for  you  there.  It  will  be  dark  in  half 
an  hour.  I  hear  the  prison  bell  ringing  for  the  return  of 
the  prisoners  who  are  out,  but  the  roll-call  is  not  made 
until  all  have  returned  to  their  cells  and  are  locked  up 
for  the  night,  which  will  not  be  for  an  hour  and  a  half, 
so  you  have  plenty  of  time." 

"I  thank  you  with  all  my  heart,  mademoiselle." 

He  went  up  with  her  to  the  attic  and  looked  out  at  the 
wall.  The  lane  was  only  some  twelve  feet  across,  and  he 
was  convinced  that  he  could  leap  it  without  difficulty.  He 
emptied  his  box  and  repacked  it,  selecting  chiefly  articles 
which  would  take  up  the  smallest  amount  of  room.  He 
made  quite  sure  how  he  could  best  climb  from  the  window 
to  the  roof  above  it,  then  he  waited  with  what  patience  he 


HE   ORDERED  THE   MAN   AT  THE   HELM   TO   STEER   FOR  THE  FRIGATE. 


THE   GLORIOUS   FIRST   OF   JUNE  277 

could  until  it  was  absolutely  dark.  When  he  was  ready 
to  start  he  fastened  the  rope  firmly  round  the  box  and  said 
good-bye  to  Marie. 

His  last  words  were :  "I  will  do  my  very  best  for  Lucien, 
and  when  the  war  is  over  I  will  send  you  a  gold  watch  to 
wear  at  your  wedding." 

Then  he  got  upon  the  window-sill,  with  the  end  of  the 
rope  tide  round  his  waist,  and  with  some  little  difficulty 
climbed  to  the  roof  of  the  house,  and  when  he  had  got  his 
breath  began  to  pull  at  the  rope  and  hoisted  up  the  box.  He 
had,  before  starting,  put  on  the  disguise  Marie  had  bought 
for  him,  and  handed  her  the  remains  of  his  uniform,  telling 
her  to  burn  it  at  once,  and  to  hide  away  the  buttons  for 
the  present,  and  throw  them  away  the  first  time  she  left 
the  town.  "There  will  be  a  strict  search,"  he  said,  "for 
any  signs  of  me,  and  those  buttons  would  certainly  betray 
you  if  they  were  found." 

When  he  got  the  box  up  he  listened  attentively  for  a 
little,  and  as,  to  his  great  joy,  he  could  not  hear  the  foot- 
steps of  a  sentinel,  he  threw  it  on  to  the  wall  and  jumped 
after  it.  He  landed  on  his  feet,  and,  picking  up  the  box, 
ran  along  the  wall  till  he  came  to  a  gun.  He  tied  the 
end  of  the  rope  around  this  and  slipped  down.  Then 
without  a  moment's  delay  he  slung  the  box  over  his  shoul- 
der and  walked  away.  He  had  two  or  three  outworks  to 
pass,  but  luckily  there  were  no  guards,  so  he  made  his 
way  through  them  without  difficulty.  All  night  he 
tramped  on,  and  by  morning  was  forty  miles  away  from 
Verdun.  He  did  not  want  to  begin  to  ply  his  assumed 
trade  till  he  was  still  farther  away,  so  he  lay  down  to 
sleep  in  a  large  wood.  He  had  saved  from  his  rations 


278  BY  CONDUCT  AND  COURAGE 

during  the  week  a  certain  amount  of  bread,  and  he  had 
bought  a  couple  of  loaves  while  wandering  with  his 
wares  through  the  town.  He  slept  for  the  best  part  of  the 
day,  and  started  again  at  night.  Beyond  making  sure 
that  he  was  going  west  he  paid  but  little  attention  to  the 
roads  he  followed,  but,  keeping  steadily  in  that  direction, 
he  put  another  forty  miles  between  him  and  Verdun  by 
the  following  morning.  Then  after  a  few  hours'  sleep  he 
boldly  went  into  a  village  and  entered  an  inn. 

"You  are  a  pedlar,"  the  landlord  said,  "are  you  not  ?" 

"Yes,"  he  said,  "I  am  selling  wares  manufactured  by 
the  prisoners  at  Verdun." 

The  news  spread  and  the  villagers  flocked  in  to  look  at 
these  curiosities. 

"I  bought  them  at  a  low  price,  and  will  sell  at  the  same. 
They  could  not  be  made  by  ordinary  labour  at  ten  times 
the  price  I  charge  for  them." 

The  bait  took,  and  soon  a  good  many  small  articles  were 
sold.  Two  hours  later  he  again  started  on  his  way. 


CHAPTER   XV 

ESCAPED 

SO  he  travelled  across  France,  avoiding  all  large  towns. 
Once  or  twice  he  got  into  trouble  with  a  pompous 
village  official  on  account  of  his  not  holding  a  pedlar's 
permit ;  but  the  feeling  of  the  people  was  strong  in  favour 
of  a  man  who  was  selling  goods  for  the  benefit  of  poor 


ESCAPED  279 

prisoners,  and,  of  course,  he  always  had  some  plausible 
story  ready  to  account  for  its  absence.  At  last  he  came 
to  Dunkirk.  He  had  saved  money  as  he  went,  and  on  his 
arrival  there  had  eight  louis  in  his  pocket.  He  took  up  a 
lodging  at  a  little  cabaret,  and,  leaving  his  box,  which  was 
now  almost  empty,  strolled  down  to  the  harbour.  Fishing- 
boats  were  coming  in  and  going  out.  Observing  that  they 
were  not  very  well  manned,  probably  because  many  of  the 
men  had  been  drafted  into  the  navy,  he  selected  one  which 
had  but  four  men,  a  number  barely  sufficient  to  raise  the 
heavy  lug-sail,  and  when  she  made  fast  alongside  the  quay 
he  went  on  board. 

"Do  you  want  a  hand  ?"  he  said.  "I  am  not  accustomed 
to  the  sea,  but  I  have  no  doubt  I  could  haul  on  a  rope  as 
well  as  others." 

"Where  do  you  come  from,"  one  asked,  "and  how  is  it 
that  you  have  escaped  the  conscription  ?" 

"I  am  exempt/'  he  said,  "as  the  only  son  of  my  mother. 
I  come  from  Champagne." 

"But  why  have  you  left?" 

"I  came  away  because  the  girl  I  was  engaged  to  jilted 
me  for  a  richer  suitor,  and  I  could  not  stop  there  to  see 
her  married;  I  should  have  cut  his  throat  or  my  own. 
So  I  have  tramped  down  here  to  see  if  I  can  find  some 
work  for  a  time." 

"You  are  a  fool  for  your  pains,"  the  skipper  said.  "No 
girl  is  worth  it." 

"Ah,  you  never  could  have  been  jilted!  If  you  had 
been  you  wouldn't  think  so  lightly  of  it." 

"Well,  mates,  what  do  you  say?  Shall  we  take  this 
young  fellow?  He  looks  strong  and  active,  and  I  dare 
say  will  suit  us." 


280  BY  CONDUCT  AND  COURAGE 

"At  any  rate  we  can  give  him  a  trial  for  a  voyage  or 
two/' 

"Well,  you  may  begin  by  helping  us  up  into  the  town 
with  our  fish.  We  have  had  a  heavy  catch  to-day." 

Will  at  once  shouldered  a  basket  and  went  up  with  them 
to  the  market-place. 

"We  are  going  to  get  a  drink/'  the  fisherman  said. 
"Let  us  see  how  well  you  can  sell  for  us.  You  must  get  a 
franc  a  kilogramme.  Here  are  scales." 

For  a  couple  of  hours  Will  sold  fish,  attracting,  by  his 
pleasant  face,  buyers  who  might  otherwise  have  passed 
him;  and  when  the  fishermen  returned  they  were  pleased 
to  find  that  he  had  almost  sold  out  their  stock,  and 
accounted  for  his  take  to  the  last  sou. 

"I  have  been  watching  you  all  the  time,"  the  captain 
said,  "though  you  did  not  know.  I  wanted  to  see  if  you 
were  honest,  and,  now'  that  I  have  a  proof  of  it,  will 
take  you  willingly.  The  pay  is  twelve  francs  a  week  and 
a  tenth  share  in  the  sales.  The  boat  takes  a  third,  I  take 
two,  and  the  sailors  take  one  apiece,  and  you  will  have 
half  a  share  besides  your  pay  till  you  know  your  business. 
Do  you  agree  to  that?" 

"Yes,"  Will  said. 

Accordingly  he  settled  down  to  the  work  of  a  fisherman, 
and  gave  great  satisfaction.  His  mates  were  indeed 
astonished  at  the  rapidity  with  which  he  learned  his  work, 
and  congratulated  themselves  upon  the  acquisition  of  so 
promising  a  recruit. 

A  month  after  he  had  joined  the  smack  a  ship-of-war 
was  seen  sailing  along  three  miles  from  shore.  The  fish- 
ermen were  half-way  between  her  and  the  land,  and  paid 


ESCAPED  281 

no  great  attention  to  her,  knowing  that  British,  men-of-war 
did  not  condescend  to  meddle  with  small  fishing-boats. 
Will  waited  until  the  captain  and  one  of  the  men  were 
below;  then,  suddenly  pushing  the  hatch  to  and  throwing 
a  coil  of  rope  over  it,  he  produced  from  his  pockets  a  lw  ace 
of  pistols  which  he  had  bought  at  Dunkirk  out  of  the 
stock  of  money  he  had  had  in  his  pocket  when  he  was 
captured,  and  ordered  the  man  at  the  helm  to  steer  for 
the  frigate.  The  man  let  go  the  tiller  at  once,  and  he  and 
his  companion  prepared  to  make  a  rush  upon  Will.  But 
the  sight  of  the  levelled  pistols  checked  them. 

"You  will  come  to  no  harm,"  Will  said.  "You  have  but 
to  put  me  on  board,  and  I  warrant  you  shall  be  allowed  to 
depart  unmolested.  I  am  an  English  officer.  Now,  down 
with  the  helm  without  hesitation,  or  I  will  put  a  bullet 
through  your  head;  and  do  you,  Jacques,  sit  down  by  his 
side." 

Sullenly  the  men  obeyed  his  orders,  and  the  boat  went 
dancing  through  the  water  in  a  direction  which,  Will 
calculated,  would  enable  him  to  cut  off  the  frigate.  In  the 
meantime  the  captain  and  his  companion,  unable  to  under- 
stand what  was  going  on,  were  thumping  at  the  hatchway. 
Will,  however,  paid  no  attention  to  them,  but  stood  on  it, 
keeping  his  eye  upon  the  men  in  the  stern.  Twenty 
minutes  brought  them  close  to  the  frigate,  which,  on  seeing 
a  small  boat  making  for  her,  threw  her  sails  aback  to  wait 
for  it.  As  they  came  close  a  rope  was  thrown;  Will 
grasped  it  and  swung  himself  up  the  side,  leaving  the 
boat  to  drift  away.  The  sailors  stood  looking  in  surprise 
at  him,  but  Will  went  straight  up  to  the  first  lieutenant. 

"I  beg  to  report  myself  as  having  come  on  board,  sir. 


282  BY  CONDUCT  AND  COURAGE 

I  am,  or  rather  was,  a  midshipman  on  board  the  Tartar. 
I  have  just  escaped  from  Verdun." 

"Do  you  really  mean  it?"  the  lieutenant  said.  "I 
thought  only  one  or  two  English  prisoners  have  ever  made 
their  escape  from  there." 

"That  is  so,  sir,  and  I  am  one  of  the  fortunate  ones." 

"But  how  on  earth  have  you  managed  to  pass  right 
through  France?" 

"I  was  detained  three  months  at  Toulon,  sir,  and  there 
was  allowed  to  buy  some  French  books.  I  was  then  a 
month  on  the  way  to  Verdun,  and  five  months  there. 
During  that  time  I  practised  French  incessantly,  and 
picked  up  enough  to  pass  muster.  At  last,  thanks  to  a 
French  girl,  I  succeeded  in  getting  a  disguise  and  climbing 
over  the  wall,  and  passed  through  France  as  a  pedlar  with 
wares  made  by  the  prisoners." 

"Come  with  me  to  the  captain's  cabin.  He  will,  I  am 
sure,  be  glad  to  hear  your  story.  How  were  you  cap- 
tured?" 

"In  the  attack  the  Tartar  made  on  a  battery  on  one  of 
the  Isles  d'Hyeres  I  was  shot  through  the  leg  and  left 
behind  in  the  retreat." 

"Yes,  I  heard  of  that  affair,  and  a  most  unfortunate 
one  it  was.  You  caught  it  hot  there,  and  no  mistake !" 

The  captain  listened  to  the  story  with  great  interest,  and 
then  said:  "Well,  Mr.  Gilmore,  I  congratulate  you  very 
heartily  on  getting  out  of  that  terrible  prison.  I  am  rather 
short  of  officers,  and  will  rate  you  as  a  midshipman  until 
I  have  an  opportunity  of  sending  you  home.  I  have  no 
doubt  your  brother  officers  will  manage  to  rig  you  out." 

The  lieutenant  went  out  with  Will  and  introduced  him 


ESCAPED  283 

to  the  officers  of  the  ship,  to  whom  he  had  again  to  tell  the 
tale  of  his  adventure.  "Now  come  down  helow  to  our 
berth/'  the  senior  midshipman  said,  "and  we  will  see 
what  we  can  do  to  rig  you  out.  We  lost  one  of  our 
number  the  other  day,  and  I  have  no  doubt  the  purser's 
clerk  will  let  you  take  what  you  require  out  of  his  kit  if 
you  give  him  a  bill  on  your  paymaster." 

Fortunately  the  clothes  fitted  Will,  so  he  took  over  the 
whole  of  the  effects,  as  there  was  sufficient  standing  to  his 
account  on  the  Tartar  to  pay  for  them,  in  addition  to  the 
pay  that  would  accrue  during  the  time  of  his  captivity. 

He  learned  that  they  were  on  their  way  to  the  Texel, 
where  they  were  to  cruise  backwards  and  forwards  to  watch 
the  flotilla  of  boats  that  Napoleon  was  accumulating  there 
for  the  invasion  of  England.  It  was  arduous  work,  for 
the  heavy  fogs  rendered  it  necessary  to  use  the  greatest 
caution,  as  there  were  many  dangerous  shoals  and  cur- 
rents in  the  vicinity. 

One  dark  night,  when  they  thought  that  they  were  in 
deep  water,  the  ship  grounded  suddenly.  The  tide  was 
running  out,  and  though  they  did  everything  in  their 
power  they  could  not  get  her  off. 

"If  we  have  but  another  couple  of  hours,"  the  first  lieu- 
tenant said,  "we  shall  float,  as  the  tide  will  be  turning 
very  soon.  But  it  is  getting  light  already,  and  we  are 
likely  to  have  their  gun-boats  out  in  no  time." 

His  anticipation  turned  out  correct,  for  six  gun-boats 
were  soon  seen  making  their  way  out  of  the  Texel.  When 
within  range  they  opened  fire.  The  Artemis  replied  with 
such  guns  as  she  could  bring  to  bear  on  them.  She 
suffered  a  good  deal  of  damage,  but  the  tide  had  turned 


284  BY  CONDUCT  AND  COURAGE 

and  was  flowing  fast.  Hawsers  had  been  run  out  at  the 
stern  and  fastened  to  the  capstan,  and  the  bars  were  now 
manned,  and  the  sailors  put  their  whole  strength  into  the 
work.  At  last  there  was  a  movement;  the  ship  quivered 
from  stem  to  stern,  and  then  slipped  off  into  deep  water. 
A  joyous  cheer  burst  from  the  crew.  But  they  did  not 
waste  time.  They  ran  at  once  to  their  guns,  and  opened 
a  broadside  fire  on  the  gun-boats.  One  was  disabled  and 
taken  in  tow  by  two  others;  and  the  rest,  finding  them- 
selves no  match  for  the  frigate,  sheered  off  and  re-entered 
the  Texel. 

The  Artemis  continued  to  cruise  to  and  fro  for  upwards 
of  a  month.  One  evening  the  first  lieutenant  said  to  Will : 
"The  captain  is  worried  because  we  were  told  to  expect  a 
messenger  with  news  as  to  the  state  of  affairs  at  Amster- 
dam and  in  Holland  generally,  and  none  has  arrived. 
There  is  no  doubt  that  they  are  adding  to  the  number  of 
gun-boats  there,  and  also  to  the  flat-bottomed  boats  for 
the  conveyance  of  troops.  The  delay  is  most  annoying, 
especially  as  we  have  orders  to  sail  for  England  with  the 
news  as  soon  as  we  get  it,  and  we  are  all  heartily  sick  of 
this  dull  and  dreary  work/7 

"I  will  volunteer  to  land  and  communicate  with  some 
of  the  country-people  near  Amsterdam,"  Will  said,  "if 
the  captain  would  like  it.  We  know  that  their  sympathies 
are  all  with  us,  and  I  have  no  doubt  that  I  could  get 
what  information  is  required.  If  my  offer  is  accepted  I 
should  greatly  prefer  to  go  in  uniform,  for,  while  I  am 
quite  ready  to  run  the  risk  of  being  taken  prisoner,  I  have 
certainly  no  desire  to  be  captured  out  of  uniform,  as  I 
should  be  liable  to  be  hanged  as  a  spy." 


ESCAPED  285 

The  first  lieutenant  mentioned  the  matter  to  the  cap- 
tain, who  at  once  embraced  the  offer,  for  he,  too,  was 
sick  of  the  work,  in  which  no  honour  was  to  be  obtained, 
and  in  which  the  risks  were  great,  as  the  coast  was  a  dan- 
gerous one.  He  sent  for  Will  and  said:  "I  hear,  Mr. 
Gilmore,  that  you  are  willing  to  volunteer  to  land  and 
gain  information.  Have  you  considered  the  risks  ?" 

"I  know  that,  of  course,  there  is  a  certain  amount  of 
clanger,  sir,  but  do  not  consider  it  to  be  excessive.  At  any 
rate  I  am  ready  to  try  it." 

"I  am  very  much  obliged  to  you,"  the  captain  said,  "for 
we  are  all  anxious  to  get  away  from  this  place;  but  mind, 
I  cannot  but  consider  that  the  risk  is  considerable.  With 
our  glasses  we  constantly  see  bodies  of  horsemen  riding 
along  the  sands,  and  have  sometimes  noticed  solitary  men, 
no  doubt  sentinels;  and  it  is  probably  because  of  them 
that  the  messenger  we  expected  has  not  been  able  to  put 
out.  I  will  give  you  his  address.  He  lives  within  half  a 
mile  of  Amsterdam,  in  a  house  near  the  shore  of  the 
Texel.  When  are  you  prepared  to  start?" 

"This  evening  if  you  wish  it,  sir." 

"Well,  I  think  the  sooner  you  go  the  better.  If  you 
land  to-night  I  will  send  the  boat  ashore  to  the  same  spot 
to-morrow  night.  They  will  lie  off  two  or  three  hundred 
yards,  and  come  to  your  whistle." 

"Very  well,  sir." 

Will  had  no  preparations  to  make  for  his  journey.  He 
received  a  letter  from  the  captain  authorizing  the  man  to 
give  every  information  in  his  power  to  the  bearer,  and 
with  this  in  his  pocket  he  took  his  place  in  the  boat  after 
dark  and  was  rowed  towards  the  shore.  The  Artemis  was 


286  BY  CONDUCT  AND  COUKAGE 

four  miles  from  the  land  when  he  embarked  in  the  gig, 
the  oars  were  muffled,  and  the  men  were  enjoined  to  row 
with  the  greatest  care  when  they  approached  the  land.  An 
officer  went  in  charge,  and  the  Artemis  was  to  show  a  light 
an  hour  after  they  started,  so  that  they  could  find  their 
way  back  to  her.  Will  chatted  in  a  whisper  to  the  officer 
till  they  were,  he  judged,  within  half  a  mile  of  the  land. 
Then  they  rowed  on  in  perfect  silence  till  the  keel  grated 
on  the  sands.  At  that  moment  a  musket  shot  was  heard 
from  a  sand-hill  a  couple  of  hundred  yards  away.  Will 
leapt  out  and  ran  at  full  speed  for  some  little  distance, 
and  then  threw  himself  down.  The  shots  were  repeated 
from  point  to  point,  and  men  ran  down  to  the  water's 
edge  and  fired  after  the  retiring  boat. 

Presently  the  noise  ceased.  Whether  he  had  been  seen 
or  not  he  could  not  say,  but  he  hoped  that,  although  the 
sentinel  had  made  out  the  boat  against  the  slight  surf 
that  broke  on  the  beach,  he  had  not  been  able  to  see  him 
leave  it.  He  got  up  cautiously,  and,  stooping  low,  moved 
off  until  he  was  quite  certain  that  he  was  well  beyond 
the  line  of  sentries.  Once  or  twice  he  heard  the  galloping 
of  parties  of  men,  evidently  attracted  by  the  sound  of 
firing,  but  none  of  them  came  very  near  him,  and  he  ran 
on  without  interruption.  In  two  hours  he  saw  lights 
before  him,  and  knew  that  he  was  approaching  Amster- 
dam. He  turned  to  the  right,  and  went  on  until  he  came 
to  a  wide  sheet  of  water,  which  must,  he  knew,  be  the 
Texel.  Then  he  lay  down  and  slept  for  some  hours.  At 
the  first  gleam  of  dawn  he  was  on  his  feet  again,  and 
made  his  way  to  a  farmhouse  which  exactly  agreed  with 
the  description  that  had  been  given  him.  He  knocked  at 


ESCAPED  287 

the  door,  and  it  was  presently  opened  by  a  man  in  his 
shirt-sleeves. 

"Are  you  Meinheer  Johan  Yan  Duyk  ?"  he  asked. 

"I  am,"  the  man  said.    "Who  are  you  ?" 

"I  am  the  bearer  of  this  letter  from  the  captain  of  the 
Artemis,  who  had  expected  you  to  communicate  with  him." 

"Come  in/'  the  man  said.  "We  are  early  risers  here, 
and  it  is  advisable  that  no  one  should  see  you.  Yes/'  he 
went  on  when  the  door  was  closed,  "I  have  been  trying  to 
communicate,  but  the  cordon  of  sentries  along  the  shore 
has  been  so  close,  and  the  watch  so  vigilant,  that  it  has 
been  quite  impossible  for  me  to  come  out.  I  suppose  you 
are  an  officer  of  that  ship  ?" 

"Yes." 

"Do  you  speak  Dutch?" 

"No,  I  speak  French." 

The  man  read  the  letter. 

"That  is  all  right ;  I  can  furnish  you  with  all  these  par- 
ticulars when  you  leave  to-night,  but  of  course  in  that 
uniform  you  must  lie  dark  until  then.  For  some  reason 
or  other  the  French  have  suspicions  of  me,  and  they  have 
paid  me  several  visits.  Were  you  seen  to  land  last  night  ?" 

"I  do  not  know.  They  fired  on  the  boat,  and  I  expect 
they  have  a  shrewd  idea  that  somebody  was  put  on  shore." 

"In  that  case,"  the  man  said,  "it  is  probable  that  they 
will  search  my  house  to-day.  By  this  time  they  know 
every  little  corner  of  it,  so  I  cannot  see  where  I  am  to 
conceal  you." 

"1  observed  a  stack  behind  your  house,"  suggested  Will. 

"Yes,  there  is  one." 

"Well,  if  you  would  at  once  get  a  ladder,  and  take  off 


288  BY  CONDUCT  AND  COURAGE 

some  of  the  thatch  and  make  a  hole,  I  could  get  into  it, 
and  you  could  then  replace  the  thatch  long  before  the 
soldiers  are  likely  to  come  out  from  Amsterdam." 

"Yes,  I  could  do  that,  and  I  could  hand  you  in  a  bottle 
of  schnapps  and  some  water  and  bread  and  meat." 

"That  will  do  very  well.    I  suppose  you  have  men  ?" 

"Yes,  I  have  two,  and  both  of  them  are  true  Dutchmen, 
and  may  be  trusted.  I  will  give  you  at  once  the  list  of 
the  gun-boats  and  flat-boats  I  have  made  ready  to  send  on 
the  first  opportunity.  I  shall  be  glad  to  get  it  out  of  the 
house,  for,  though  it  is  well  hidden,  they  search  so  strictly 
that  they  might  find  it.  They  broke  all  my  wainscots, 
pulled  up  the  flooring,  and  almost  wrecked  the  house  the 
last  time  they  came;  and  I  don't  suppose  they  will  be  less 
vigilant  this  time." 

He  went  to  the  cupboard  and  brought  out  some  food 
and  drink. 

"Now,  sir,"  he  said,  "if  you  will  eat  this  I  will  call  up 
my  two  men  and  set  to  work  at  once  to  get  your  hiding- 
place  made,  so  that  you  may  be  safely  lodged  in  it  before 
any  people  are  about." 

Will  was  by  no  means  sorry  to  take  breakfast.  He  ate 
the  food  leisurely,  and  just  as  he  had  finished  Van  Duyk 
came  in  to  say  that  the  place  was  ready  for  him. 

It  was  not  a  large  hole,  but  sufficient  to  let  him  lie  down 
at  full  length  under  the  thatch.  He  climbed  up  the  ladder 
the  men  had  used  and  got  into  his  nest,  and  after  Van 
Duyk  had  handed  him  in  the  provisions  he  had  promised, 
the  two  men  set  to  work  with  all  speed  to  replace  the 
thatch.  It  was  made  thin,  so  that  he  had  no  difficulty  in 
raising  it,  and  could  even  with  his  finger  make  a  tiny 


ESCAPED  289 

opening  through  which  he  could  look.  The  hay  that  had 
been  removed  to  make  room  for  him  was  carried  away 
and  thrown  down  in  the  mangers  for  the  cows,  so  that 
there  was  nothing  to  show  that  the  stack  had  recently  been 
touched. 

Two  hours  later  Will  heard  the  trampling  of  horses,  and 
two  officers,  with  a  troop  of  cavalry,  rode  up. 

"I  bear  a  warrant  to  search  your  house,  Van  Duyk," 
Will  heard  one  of  them  say. 

"You  have  searched  it  three  times  already,  meinheer, 
but  you  can,  of  course,  search  it  again  if  you  wish.  You 
will  certainly  find  no  more  now  than  you  did  then." 

"A  spy  landed  last  night,  Van  Duyk,  and  it  is  more 
than  probable  that  he  is  taking  shelter  here." 

"I  don't  know  why  you  should  suspect  me  more  than 
anyone  else.  I  am  a  quiet  man,  meddling  in  no  way  with 
public  matters,  and  attending  only  to  my  own  business." 

"It  is  all  very  well  to  say  that;  we  have  certain  infor- 
mation about  you." 

"I  am  well  known  to  my  neighbours  as  a  peaceable 
man,"  Van  Duyk  repeated,  "and  think  it  monstrous  that 
I  should  be  so  interfered  with  and  harried." 

"Well,  we  don't  want  any  talk.  Now,  men,  set  to  work 
and  search  every  corner  of  the  house,  not  only  where  a 
man  could  be  hidden,  but  even  a  paper.  These  Dutchmen 
are  traitors  to  a  man,  and  if  this  fellow  is  no  worse  than 
others  he  is  at  least  as  bad." 

For  an  hour  and  a  half  Will,  in  his  hiding-place,  heard 
the  sound  of  smashing  panels  and  furniture,  and  the 
pulling  up  of  floors.  At  the  end  of  that  time  the  troopers 
left  the  house  and  mounted,  the  officer  saying :  "You  have 


290  BY  CONDUCT  AND  COURAGE 

deceived  us  this  time,  old  traitor,  but  we  will  catch  you 
yet." 

"Catch  me  if  you  can.  I  tell  you  that  if  you  level  the 
house  to  the  ground  you  will  find  nothing." 

After  they  had  ridden  off,  Van  Duyk  went  out  to  the 
haystack. 

"They  have  gone  for  the  present,  meinheer,  but  you 
had  better  stay  where  you  are.  They  are  quite  capable  of 
coming  back  again  in  the  hope  that  you  may  have  come 
out  from  some  hiding-place  they  may  have  overlooked." 

Indeed,  an  hour  later  the  troop  galloped  up  again,  only 
to  find  the  Dutchman  smoking  placidly  on  a  seat  before 
his  house.  Another  search  was  made,  but  equally  without 
success,  and  then,  with  much  use  of  strong  language,  the 
party  rode  off. 

"I  think  you  can  come  down  safely  now,"  the  Dutchman 
said  to  Will. 

"Thank  you,  but  I  don't  wish  to  run  the  least  risk.  I 
will  remain  where  I  am  till  it  gets  dark;  I  can  very  well 
sleep  the  time  away  till  then.  I  shaVt  get  much  sleep 
to-night." 

Not  until  it  was  quite  dark  did  Van  Duyk  and  his  men 
come  with  a  ladder  to  remove  the  thatch  again.  It  took 
but  a  minute  to  extricate  Will  from  his  hole. 

"We  will  get  that  filled  up  and  mended  before  morn- 
ing," Van  Duyk  said.  "Now,  can  I  let  you  have  a  horse  ?" 

"No,  thank  you,  I  have  but  twelve  miles  to  walk.  I 
noted  the  road  as  I  came,  and  can  find  the  spot  where  I 
landed  without  difficulty." 

With  thanks  for  the  Dutchman's  kindness,  and  handing 
him  the  reward  with  which  the  captain  had  entrusted  him, 


ESCAPED  291 

Will  started  on  his  walk.  When  he  approached  the  spot 
it  was  still  four  hours  from  the  time  at  which  the  boat 
was  to  arrive,  and  seeing  a  light  in  a  cottage  he  went  and 
looked  in  at  the  window.  Only  a  girl  and  an  old  woman 
were  there,  so  he  lifted  the  latch  and  went  in.  "I  am  an 
English  officer,"  he  said,  "will  you  let  me  sit  down  by 
your  fire  for  a  couple  of  hours  ?  The  cold  is  piercing  out- 
side." 

The  old  woman  answered  in  broken  French,  bidding 
him  welcome,  and  he  sat  down  and  began  to  talk  to  her. 
Her  stock  of  French  was  small,  and  the  conversation  soon 
languished.  Presently  the  girl  leapt  to  her  feet  and  ex- 
claimed in  Dutch :  "Soldiers  I"  The  old  woman  trans- 
lated, and  Will  then  heard  the  trampling  of  horses.  He 
jumped  up,  snatched  a  long  cloak  of  the  old  woman's  from 
the  wall,  and  threw  it  round  him.  He  also  took  one  of  her 
caps  that  hung  there  and  put  it  on  his  head.  It  was  large, 
with  frills,  and  almost  covered  his  face.  He  had  but  just 
time  to  reseat  himself  by  the  fire  and  cower  over  it,  as  if 
warming  his  hands,  when  the  door  opened  and  a  French 
officer  entered.  At  the  sight  of  the  two  apparently  old 
women  bending  over  the  fire,  and  the  girl  sitting  knitting, 
he  stopped. 

"Madam/'  he  said  courteously,  "it  is  my  duty  to  search 
your  house.  It  is  believed  that  a  spy  who  landed  here 
last  night  may  be  returning  to-night." 

"You  can  look,"  the  old  woman  said  in  her  quavering 
voice,  "as  much  as  you  like;  you  will  not  find  any  spy 
here." 

As  the  cottage  consisted  of  only  two  rooms  the  search 
was  quickly  effected. 


292  BY  CONDUCT  AND  COURAGE 

"Thank  you,  madam !"  the  French  officer  said ;  "I  am 
quite  satisfied,  and  am  sorry  I  have  incommoded  you." 

"That  is  a  civil  fellow/'  Will  said,  as  the  sound  of  the 
retreating  hoofs  was  heard.  "Some  of  these  fellows  would 
have  blustered  and  sworn  and  turned  the  whole  place  up- 
side down.  Well,  madam,  I  am  deeply  obliged  to  you  for 
the  shelter  you  have  given  me  and  the  risk  you  have  run 
for  my  sake.  Here  is  a  guinea;  it  is  all  the  gold  I  have 
with  me,  but  it  may  buy  some  little  comfort  for  you." 

"It  will  buy  me  enough  turf  to  last  me  all  winter,"  the 
old  woman  said.  "My  son  is  a  fisherman  who  is  some- 
times weeks  from  home,  and  our  supply  of  turf  is  running 
low.  Thank  you  very  much !  though  I  would  gladly  have 
done  it  without  reward,  for  we  all  hate  the  French." 

Will  went  out  cautiously  and  made  his  way  down  to  the 
shore,  listening  at  every  step  for  some  sound  that  would 
tell  of  the  presence  of  a  sentry.  He  lay  down  near  the 
edge  of  the  sea  and  watched.  At  last  he  saw  a  dim  shape 
lying  stationary  a  hundred  yards  out.  He  gave  a  low 
whistle,  but  this  was  almost  instantaneously  followed  by 
the  report  of  a  musket  within  fifty  yards  of  him.  He  did 
not  hesitate,  but  with  a  shout  to  the  boat  ran  into  the 
water  and  struck  out  towards  it.  Another  musket  was 
fired,  fifty  yards  to  the  left,  and  the  signal  was,  as  before, 
repeated  by  sentry  after  sentry  till  the  sound  died  away 
in  the  distance.  Almost  immediately  the  galloping  of 
horses  could  be  heard.  The  boat  rowed  in  to  meet  him, 
and  as  he  scrambled  on  board  a  volley  of  carbines  rang 
out  from  the  shore.  The  sailors  bent  to  their  oars  and, 
although  the  firing  continued  for  some  time,  they  knew 
that  the  enemy  had  lost  sight  of  them.  A  quarter  of  an 


ESCAPED  293 

hour  later  the  sound  of  oars  was  heard.  "Stop  rowing," 
the  lieutenant  in  command  of  the  boat  ordered,  "and  don't 
move." 

In  about  three  minutes  a  large  rowing-boat,  manned  by 
a  number  of  oars,  could  be  made  out  passing  across  ahead 
of  them.  The  ship's  boat,  however,  was  so  small  an  object 
in  comparison  that  it  remained  unnoticed.  They  waited 
till  the  beat  of  oars  ceased  in  the  distance  and  then  rowed 
on  again. 

"That  was  a  narrow  escape,"  the  lieutenant  muttered. 
"Evidently  she  was  lying  in  wait  to  catch  you,  and  if 
she  had  been  fifty  yards  nearer  to  us  she  must  have  made 
us  out.  I  think  we  are  safe  now,  for  the  course  she  was 
taking  will  not  carry  her  anywhere  near  the  frigate.  At 
any  rate  we  have  a  good  start,  and  I  have  a  lantern  here 
to  show  in  case  we  are  chased." 

They  had  rowed  two  miles  farther  when  they  again 
heard  the  sound  of  oars. 

"We  must  row  for  it  now,"  the  lieutenant  said.  "The 
frigate  is  not  much  more  than  a  mile  away." 

The  men  bent  to  their  oars,  and  the  lieutenant  raised 
and  lowered  his  lantern  three  times.  This  signal  was 
almost  immediately  answered  by  the  boom  of  a  gun  from 
the  frigate.  For  a  time  the  enemy  continued  the  pursuit, 
but  on  a  second  gun  being  fired  they  ceased  rowing. 

"They  must  know  that  the  frigate  can't  see  them,"  the 
lieutenant  said,  "but  they  have  no  doubt  come  to  the  con- 
clusion that  they  cannot  overtake  us  before  we  get  to  her. 
Anyhow  it  is  certain  that  they  have  given  it  up  as  a  bad 
job." 

In  ten  more  minutes  they  were  alongside  the  frigate. 


294  BY  CONDUCT  AND  COURAGE 

"Is  Mr.  Gilmore  with  you  ?"  a  voice  asked  from  above. 

"Yes,  I  am  here,  sir,  safe  and  sound." 

"That  is  good  news/'  the  first  lieutenant  said,  as  Will 
stepped  on  deck.  "The  captain  was  afraid,  after  he  had 
let  you  go,  that  he  had  sacrificed  you,  and  that,  going  as 
you  did  in  your  uniform,  you  would  be  certain  to  be  cap- 
tured." 

"No,  sir ;  I  had  two  narrow  escapes,  but  got  off  all  right, 
and  have  brought  you  the  list  of  gun-boats  and  row-boats 
that  you  required.  I  am  afraid,  though,  that  it  will  re- 
quire careful  opening,  for  I  had  to  swim  off  to  the  boat." 

"That  will  not  matter  as  long  as  we  can  read  it,"  the 
lieutenant  said.  "Now  you  had  better  come  to  the  cap- 
tain and  hand  it  to  him." 

"I  am  heartily  glad  to  see  you,  Mr.  Gilmore,"  the  cap- 
tain said.  "I  have  been  very  uneasy  about  you,  and  I 
really  hardly  expected  you  to  return  to-night.  We  knew 
that  the  boat  was  being  chased,  by  the  lights  Lieutenant 
Falcon  showed,  but  I  feared  that  she  was  coming  back 
without  you.  Now  tell  me  what  has  happened  to  you. 
We  knew  by  the  firing  that  French  sentries  saw  the  boat 
come  to  land  last  night." 

Will  gave  a  full  account  of  his  adventures. 

"Well  done  indeed,  Mr.  Gilmore!  I  shall  have  much 
pleasure  in  reporting  your  conduct.  Now  let  us  examine 
the  list." 

The  words  were  a  good  deal  blurred  by  water,  but  were 
still  quite  legible. 

"They  are  stronger  in  gun-boats  than  I  expected,"  the 
captain  said  when  he  had  read  it.  "If  they  had  had  an 
ounce  of  pluck  about  them  they  would  have  come  out  and 


A  DARING   EXPLOIT  295 

fought  us.  A  thirty-two-gun  frigate  is  no  match  for  six- 
teen gunboats.  Well,  now  that  we  have  got  this  despatch, 
we  can  make  for  Sheerness  at  once.  Have  her  headed  for 
that  port,  Mr.  Falcon,  if  you  please.  We  won't  lose  a 
moment  before  making  for  England." 


CHAPTER   XVI 

A   DARING  EXPLOIT 

ON"  reaching  Sheerness  the  captain  at  once  went  ashore, 
accompanied  by  Will,  and  they  proceeded  to  London. 
Will  took  up  his  quarters  at  the  Golden  Cross,  and  next 
day  called  at  the  Admiralty,  where  he  sent  in  his  name 
to  the  First  Lord. 

"I  have  received  a  most  favourable  report  from  Captain 
Knowles  of  your  conduct  in  landing  on  the  coast  of  Hol- 
land, and  of  obtaining  despatches  of  much  value.  How 
were  you  taken  prisoner?" 

"At  the  attack  by  a  force  from  the  Tartar  on  some 
batteries  on  one  of  the  Isles  d'Hyeres.  I  was  hit  in  the 
leg,  and,  being  left  behind  in  the  confusion  of  the  retreat, 
fell  into  the  hands  of  the  French.  I  was  imprisoned  for 
four  months  at  Toulon,  and  then  sent  to  Verdun.  Six 
months  after  leaving  Toulon  I  effected  my  escape  in  a  dis- 
guise procured  for  me  by  a  French  girl.  I  had  learned  the 
language  while  in  prison,  and,  travelling  through  France 
in  the  disguise  of  a  pedlar,  reached  Dunkirk.  There  I 


296  BY  CONDUCT  AND  COURAGE 

worked  in  a  fishing-boat  for  a  month,  and  then,  seeing  the 
Artemis  cruising  off  the  town,  I  shut  up  two  of  the  sailors 
in  their  cabin,  and  frightened  the  other  two  into  taking 
me  off  to  her." 

"In  consideration  of  the  valuable  services  you  have  ren- 
dered I  have  much  pleasure  in  appointing  you  master's 
mate." 

"Thank  you,  sir !  but  I  own  I  had  rather  hopes  of  ob- 
taining a  lieutenancy." 

"A  lieutenancy !"  the  admiral  said  in  a  changed  tone. 
"I  am  surprised  to  hear  you  say  so,  when  you  have  had  no 
service  as  a  master's  mate.  What  makes  you  entertain 
such  a  hope?" 

"My  past  services,  sir,"  Will  said  boldly. 

"Captain  Purfleet,  will  you  hand  me  down  the  volume 
of  services  under  the  letter  G  ?  Ah !  here  it  is." 

He  glanced  at  it  cursorily  at  first,  and  then  read  it 
carefully. 

"You  were  right,  Mr.  Gilmore,  in  entertaining  such  a 
hope.  I  see  that  you  have  been  highly  spoken  of  by  the 
various  officers  under  whom  you  have  served;  that  you 
were  most  strongly  recommended  by  the  admirals  both  at 
Malta  and  in  the  West  Indies  for  your  singular  services, 
and  also  by  Lord  Hood  for  your  conduct  in  Corsica.  You 
were  in  command  of  a  small  craft  for  nearly  a  year,  and 
in  that  capacity  you  not  only  took  a  number  of  prizes, 
some  of  them  valuable,  but  actually  captured,  in  one 
hard-fought  action,  two  pirates,  each  of  which  was  stronger 
than  yourself.  You  have,  therefore,  well  shown  your 
capacity  to  command.  Captain  Purfleet,  have  any  ap- 
pointments been  made  yet  to  the  Jason  T' 


A   DARING   EXPLOIT  297 

"No,  sir." 

"Very  well,  then  appoint  Mr.  Gilmore  to  be  second 
lieutenant  of  her.  You  need  not  thank  me,  sir;  you  owe 
your  commission  to  your  own  gallantry  and  good  conduct. 
I  don't  know  that  I  have  at  any  time  seen  such  strong 
testimonials  and  so  good  a  record  for  any  officer  of  your 
age  and  standing.  I  am  quite  sure  that  you  will  do  full 
justice  to  the  appointment  that  I  have  made.  As  the 
Jason  will  not  be  ready  for  two  months  I  can  grant  you 
six  weeks  leave." 

No  sooner  was  this  matter  settled  than  Will  took  the 
coach  to  Fairham.  Thence  he  drove  to  the  village  of 
Porchester,  where  Marie's  fiance  was  confined.  Here  he 
put  up  at  a  little  inn.  He  had,  before  starting  from 
London,  bought  and  put  on  the  disguise  of  a  countryman, 
as  he  could  hardly  have  stayed  in  the  village  as  a  gentle- 
man without  exciting  remark  or  suspicion.  He  had,  how- 
ever, brought  other  clothes  with  him,  so  that  if  necessary 
he  could  resume  them,  and  appear  either  as  a  naval  officer 
or  as  a  civilian.  His  first  step  was  to  make  a  tour  of  the 
great  wall  which  enclosed  the  castle  and  the  huts  in  which 
the  prisoners  were  confined.  He  saw  at  once  that  any 
attempt  to  scale  the  wall  would  be  useless.  At  the  inn 
he  gave  out  that  by  the  death  of  a  relative  he  had  just 
come  into  a  few  pounds  and  meant  to  enjoy  himself. 

The  inn  he  had  selected  was  scarcely  more  than  a  tavern, 
and  he  had  chosen  it  because  he  thought  it  probable  that 
it  would  be  frequented  by  the  soldiers  whose  camp  stood 
near  the  walls,  and  who  supplied  the  guards  in  the  castle. 
This  expectation  was  fulfilled  a  short  time  after  his  arrival 
by  four  or  five  soldiers  coming  in. 


298  BY  CONDUCT  AND  COURAGE 

"Will  you  drink  a  glass  with  me?"  he  said.  "I  have 
been  telling  the  landlord  that  I  have  come  into  a  little 
brass,  and  mean  to  spend  it." 

The  soldiers,  not  unwillingly,  accepted  the  invitation, 
and  sat  down  at  a  table  with  him. 

"It  must  be  slow  work,"  he  said,  "keeping  guard  here, 
and  I  expect  you  would  sooner  be  out  at  the  war." 

"That  we  should,"  one  of  them  replied;  "there  is  noth- 
ing to  do  here  but  to  drill  all  day,  and  stare  across  the 
water  when  we  are  off  duty,  and  wish  we  were  at  Ports- 
mouth, where  there  is  something  to  do  and  something  to 
amuse  one.  This  is  the  dullest  hole  I  ever  was  quartered  in. 
Cosham  on  one  side  and  Fairham  on  the  other  are  the  only 
places  that  one  can  walk  to.  We  expect,  however,  to  bo 
relieved  before  long,  and  I  never  want  to  see  the  place 
again." 

"I  suppose  you  take  recruits  here  ?"  Will  said. 

"Oh,  yes,  we  take  recruits  when  we  can  get  them." 

"How  long  is  a  recruit  before  he  begins  to  be  a  soldier, 
and  take  his  regular  turn  as  guard  and  so  on?" 

"Two  or  three  months,"  the  man  said;  "that  is  long 
enough  to  get  them  into  something  like  shape." 

"I  should  like  to  go  in  and  have  a  look  at  the  prisoners," 
Will  said  after  a  little  chat. 

"Well,  there  is  no  chance  of  your  doing  that,"  the  sol- 
dier replied.  "Orders  are  very  strict,  and  only  three  or 
four  hucksters  are  allowed  to  go  in,  to  sell  things  to 
them." 

"How  many  are  there  of  them  ?" 

"About  three  thousand." 

He  chatted  for  some  time,  and  then,  after  calling  for 


A   DARING   EXPLOIT  299 

another  pint  of  beer  all  round,,  sauntered  out,  leaving  the 
soldiers  to  finish  it.  He  saw  at  once  that  his  only  possible 
plan  in  the  time  he  had  at  his  command  was  either  to 
bribe  some  of  the  guards,  which  appeared  to  him  too 
hazardous  a  plan  to  adopt,  and  not  likely  to  lead  to  suc- 
cess, or  to  get  at  one  or  other  of  the  people  who  were 
allowed  in. 

He  spent  two  days  watching  the  gate  of  the  prison. 
During  that  time  five  people  in  civilian  dress  went  in. 
One  of  these  was  a  short  fat  woman,  who  carried  a  large 
basket  with  cakes  and  other  eatables.  Another  was  simi- 
larly laden.  A  third,  a  man  of  about  his  own  height,  took 
in  a  variety  of  material  used  by  the  prisoners  for  making 
articles  for  sale.  He  had  needles  and  thread,  scraps  of 
materials  of  many  colours  for  making  patchwork  quilts, 
blocks  of  wood  for  carving  out  model  ships,  straw  dyed 
various  colours  for  making  fancy  boxes,  glass  beads,  and 
other  small  articles.  Will  at  once  fixed  on  him  as  being 
the  most  likely  of  the  visitors  to  serve  his  purpose.  He 
spoke  to  him  after  he  had  left  the  prison. 

"My  friend,"  he  said,  "do  you  want  to  earn  fifty 
pounds  ?" 

The  man  opened  his  eyes  in  surprise. 

"I  should  certainly  like  to,"  he  said,  "if  I  could  see  my 
way  to  do  it." 

"Well,  I  will  double  that  if  you  do  as  I  tell  you.  I  want 
you,  in  the  first  place,  to  find  out  the  hut  in  which  Lucien 
Dupres  is  confined,  and  give  him  a  letter." 

"There  will  be  no  great  difficulty  about  that,"  the  man 
said.  "I  only  have  to  whisper  to  the  first  prisoner  I  meet 
that  I  want  to  find  a  man,  and  have  got  a  letter  from  his 


300  BY  CONDUCT  AND  COUKAGE 

friends  for  him,,  and  if  he  doesn't  know  him  he  will  find 
him  out  for  me.  That  is  not  much  to  do  for  a  hundred 
pounds." 

"No ;  but  in  the  next  place  I  want  you  to  keep  out  of  the 
way  for  a  week,  and  to  lend  me  your  clothes  and  pass.  I 
want  to  go  in  and  see  the  man." 

"Well,  that  is  a  more  dangerous  business.  How  could 
you  pass  for  me?" 

"I  think  I  could  do  that  without  fear.  We  are  about 
the  same  height.  I  should  have  a  wig  made  to  imitate 
your  hair,  and  should,  I  imagine,  have  no  difficulty  in 
getting  my  face  made  up  so  as  to  be  able  to  pass  for  you. 
You  must  be  so  well  known  that  they  will  do  no  more 
than  glance  at  me  as  I  go  in.  The  only  alternative  to  that 
will  be  for  you  to  take  to  him  a  rope  and  other  things  I 
will  give  you.  I  tell  you  frankly  I  want  to  aid  his  escape. 
Mind,  a  hundred  pounds  is  not  to  be  earned  without  some 
slight  risk." 

"Of  the  two  things  I  would  rather  risk  carrying  the 
rope  and  the  tools,  if  they  are  not  too  bulky.  Mind  you, 
it  is  a  big  risk,  for  I  should  be  liable  to  be  shot  for  aiding 
in  the  escape  of  a  prisoner." 

"Well,  look  here,"  Will  said,  "I  will  go  into  Portsmouth 
this  afternoon  and  find  some  man  who  can  fake  me  up. 
There  are  sure  to  be  two  or  three  men  who  make  that 
their  business,  for  young  naval  officers  are  constantly 
getting  into  scrimmages,  and  must  want  to  have  their  eyes 
painted  before  they  go  back  on  board.  Do  you  go  to 
the  prison  to-morrow  morning.  Find  out  the  man,  and 
deliver  this  letter  to  him.  Then  come  into  Portsmouth 
in  the  coach.  I  will  be  waiting  there  till  it  arrives,  and 


A   DARING   EXPLOIT  301 

you  can  go  with  me,  and  when  I  have  got  myself  made  up 
you  shall  judge  for  yourself  whether  I  shall  pass  muster 
for  you.  There  will  be  no  difficulty  in  getting  whiskers  to 
match  yours." 

"Very  well,"  the  man  said,  "I  will  be  on  the  coach  to- 
morrow." 

Will  at  once  changed  his  clothes  to  an  ordinary  walking 
suit,  and  went  into  town.  On  making  enquiries  he  found 
that  there  was  a  barber  who  made  it  his  business  to  paint 
black  eyes  and  to  remove  the  signs  of  bruises.  He  went 
to  him  and  said :  "I  hear  you  are  an  artist  in  black  eyes." 

The  man  smiled. 

"You  don't  look  as  if  you  wanted  my  services,  sir." 

"No,  not  in  that  way,  but  I  suppose  you  could  make  up 
a  face  so  as  to  resemble  another." 

"Yes,  sir,  I  was  at  one  time  engaged  at  a  theatre  in 
London  in  making  up  the  performers,  and  feel  sure  that 
I  could  accomplish  such  a  job  to  your  satisfaction." 

"I  have  made  a  bet,"  Will  said,  "that  I  could  disguise 
myself  as  a  certain  man  so  well  that  I  could  take  my 
friends  in.  Have  you  a  sandy  wig  in  your  shop  ?" 

"Yes,  sir,  half  a  dozen." 

"And  whiskers  ?" 

"I  have  several  sets,  sir,  and  I  dare  say  one  would  be 
the  right  colour." 

"Very  well,  then,  I  will  bring  the  man  here  to-morrow, 
and  you  shall  paint  me  so  as  to  resemble  him  as  closely  as 
possible.  I  don't  mind  giving  you  a  five-pound  note  for 
the  job." 

"Welt,  sir,  if  I  am  not  mistaken  I  can  paint  you  so  that 
his  own  mother  wouldn't  know  the  difference." 


302  BY    CONDUCT   AND   COURAGE 

Will  took  a  bed  at  the  George,  and  at  mid-day  went  to 
the  inn  where  the  coach  stopped.  The  man  was  on  the 
outside. 

"Well,  sir,  I  have  found  the  Frenchman,  and  given 
him  the  letter,  so  that  part  of  the  business  is  done." 

"That  is  good.    What  is  the  number  of  the  man's  hut?" 

"Number  sixty-eight;"  and  the  man  carefully  described 
its  position. 

"Very  well.    Now  we  will  set  about  the  second  part." 

When  they  arrived  at  the  shop  the  barber  seated  them 
in  two  chairs  next  to  each  other,  in  a  room  behind  the 
shop,  and  set  to  work  at  once.  He  first  produced  a  wig 
and  whiskers,  which,  with  a  little  clipping,  he  made  of  the 
size  and  shape  of  the  hair  on  the  huckster's  face.  Then  he 
set  to  work  with  his  paints,  first  staining  Will's  face  to 
the  reddish-brown  of  the  man's  complexion,  and  then 
adding  line  after  line.  After  two  hours'  work  he  asked 
them  to  stand  together  before  a  glass,  and  both  were 
astonished;  the  resemblance  was  indeed  perfect.  Will's 
eyebrows  had  been  stained  a  grayish  white,  and  some  long 
hairs  had  been  inserted  so  as  to  give  them  the  shaggy 
appearance  of  the  pedlar.  A  crow's  foot  had  been  painted 
at  the  corner  of  each  eye,  and  a  line  drawn  from  the  nose 
to  the  corners  of  the  lips.  The  chin  and  lower  part  of 
the  cheeks  had  been  tinted  dark,  to  give  them  the  appear- 
ance of  long  shaving.  Both  of  them  burst  into  a  laugh 
as  they  looked  at  the  two  faces  in  the  mirror. 

"You  will  do,  sir,"  the  man  said.  "It  would  need  a 
sharp  pair  of  eyes  to  detect  the  difference  between  us." 

"Yes,  I  think  that  will  do,"  Will  said,  "and  to  aid  the 
deception  I  will,  as  I  go  in,  use  ir.y  handkerchief  and 
pretend  to  have  a  bad  cold." 


"HE   WAS   JUST    IN   TIMK  TO    SEE    LUCIEN    ALIGHT." 


A   DARING   EXPLOIT  303 

"Is  there  a  basket-maker's  near  ?"  Will  asked  the  barber. 

"Yes,  sir,  first  turning  to  the  right,  and  first  to  the 
left,  two  or  three  doors  down,  there  is  a  small  shop/' 

"I  want  you  at  once  to  go  and  choose  one  the  size  and 
shape  of  your  own,"  Will  said  to  his  companion.  "When 
you  see  one,  set  the  man  to  work  to  weave  a  false  bottom 
to  it.  I  want  it  to  lodge  so  as  to  leave  a  recess  four  or  five 
inches  deep.  Have  it  made  with  two  handles,  so  that  it 
can  be  lifted  in  and  out.  How  long  would  he  be  doing 
it,  do  you  think  ?" 

"About  an  hour  and  a  half,  I  should  say." 

"Very  well;  order  the  man  to  send  it  round  to  the 
George,  wrapped  up  in  paper,  to  the  address  of  Mr.  Earn- 
shaw.  When  you  have  done  this,  come  back  here.  We 
cannot  go  into  the  street  together;  our  singular  resen^ 
blance  would  at  once  be  noticed." 

"Now,"  Will  said  to  the  pedlar  when  he  returned,  "meet 
me  on  the  road  a  hundred  yards  from  where  it  turns  down 
to  Porchester;  bring  a  stock  of  goods  with  you,  and  I 
will  put  them  in  my  basket.  Of  course  you  will  bring 
your  pass,  and  the  clothes  you  now  have  on  in  a  bundle. 
I  will  change  there ;  as  far  as  I  have  seen  it  is  very  seldom 
that  anyone  passes  that  way." 

Will  then  went  for  a  walk,  and  when  it  became  quite 
dark  he  took  off  his  wig  and  whiskers  and  went  into  the 
town  again.  Here  he  bought  a  long  rope,  very  slender, 
but  still  strong  enough  to  support  a  man's  weight,  and  a 
grapnel  which  folded  up  flat  when  not  in  use.  Then  he 
went  to  the  George,  having  wrapped  a  muffler  round  his 
face  as  if  he  were  suffering  with  toothache.  His  basket 
was  standing  in  the  hall. 


304  BY  CONDUCT  AND  COUKAGE 

"I  shall  not  return  this  evening,"  he  said,  "so  I  will  pay 
my  bill." 

Then,  having  bought  a  suit  of  ready-made  sailor's 
clothes,  with  hat  complete,  he  put  them  into  his  basket, 
hired  a  vehicle,  and  drove  to  Fairham.  In  the  morning 
at  nine  o'clock  he  walked  along  the  main  road  towards 
Cosham  till  he  reached  the  turning  to  Porchester,  went 
down  it  a  couple  of  hundred  yards,  and  sat  on  a  grassy 
bank  till  he  saw  the  pedlar  approaching. 

"It  is  a  foggy  morning,"  the  huckster  said  when  he 
came  up. 

"So  much  the  better.  I  hope  it  will  last  over  to-mor- 
row, and  then  they  won't  be  able  to  signal  the  news  of  the 
prisoner's  escape.  It  is  only  in  clear  weather  that  the 
semaphores  can  be  made  out  from  hill  to  hill." 

The  goods  were  changed  from  the  pedlar's  basket  to  the 
one  Will  had  brought. 

"There,  then,  is  the  hundred  pounds  I  promised  you;  I 
hope  you  are  perfectly  satisfied?" 

"Perfectly,  sir ;  it  is  the  best  two  days'  work  I  have  ever 
done." 

"Now  for  my  clothes,"  Will  said;  and  no  one  being  in 
sight  he  quickly  changed  into  the  clothes  the  pedlar  had 
brought. 

"We  are  more  alike  than  ever,"  the  man  said  with  a 
laugh,  "but  you  will  have  to  remember  that  I  walk  with  a 
limp.  I  got  a  ball  in  my  leg  in  the  fighting  at  Trinidad, 
and  was  discharged  as  being  unfit  for  service.  But  I  got 
a  small  pension,  and  the  right  to  sell  things  to  the  pris- 
oners in  Porchester  Castle." 

"I  noticed  the  limp  when  I  saw  you  first,"  Will  said, 


A   DARING   EXPLOIT  305 

"and  there  will  be  no  great  difficulty  in  copying  it.  I 
regarded  it  as  rather  fortunate,  as  when  the  soldiers  see 
me  limp  along  they  will  not  look  farther." 

"Well,  sir,  I  wish  you  luck.  You  are  the  freest-handed 
gentleman  I  ever  came  across." 

Will  hid  his  own  clothes  in  a  neighbouring  bush,  and 
then  started,  imitating  the  pedlar's  limp  so  exactly  that 
the  man  laughed  as  he  looked  after  him  before  starting 
for  Fairham. 

There  were  few  people  in  the  streets  of  the  quiet  little 
village  as  Will  passed  through  it.  When  he  neared  the 
castle  he  overtook  the  fat  apple-woman,  who  hailed  him 
as  a  friend,  and  they  walked  together  into  the  castle.  They 
showed  their  passes  to  the  guard  at  the  gate,  but  he 
scarcely  looked  at  them.  They  then  separated,  and  Will, 
stopping  now  and  then  to  sell  small  articles,  made  his  way 
at  last  to  Lucien's  hut.  He  had  in  his  letter  informed 
Lucien  of  his  reasons  for  trying  to  get  him  free,  and  had 
directed  him  to  be  leaning  at  that  hour  against  the  corner 
of  the  hut.  When  Lucien  saw  the  pedlar  approaching, 
if  all  was  clear  he  was  to  retire  into  it,  but  if  there  were 
others  inside  he  was  to  shake  his  head  slightly.  As  Will 
approached  the  hut  he  saw  a  prisoner  standing  there  ac- 
cording to  his  instructions,  but  he  gave  the  danger  signal 
and  Will  passed  on.  This  he  did  twice,  but  when  Will 
returned  the  third  time  the  man  went  quietly  into  the 
hut. 

"There  is  not  a  moment  to  lose,"  Will  said  as  he  fol- 
lowed, and  he  at  once  lifted  up  the  false  bottom  and  pulled 
out  the  rope  and  grapnel.  He  had  knotted  the  rope  about 
every  foot,  to  assist  the  prisoner  in  climbing,  and  had 


306  BY  CONDUCT  AND  COURAGE 

covered  the  iron  of  the  grapnel  with  strips  of  flannel  so 
that  it  would  make  no  noise  when  it  struck  the  wall. 

"Hide  them  in  your  bed.  It  will  be  a  very  dark  night, 
and  you  must  steal  out  and  make  your  way  to  the  middle 
of  the  south  wall.  There  fling  your  grapnel  up  and  scale 
the  wall.  I  shall  be  there  waiting  for  you.  It  looks  as  if 
it  will  be  very  wet  as  well  as  very  dark,  so  you  ought  to 
be  able  to  avoid  the  sentinel." 

At  this  moment  he  heard  someone  at  the  door,  and 
adroitly  changing  his  tone  said:  "You  do  not  like  these 
colours  for  a  bed-quilt?  Very  well,  I  am  getting  a  fresh 
stock  from  London  in  a  few  days,  and  I  have  no  doubt 
you  will  be  able  to  suit  yourself.  Good-morning  I" 

He  then  turned  and  offered  some  of  his  goods  to  the 
newcomer,  who  bought  a  block  for  carving  out  a  ship, 
and  some  twine  and  other  things  for  rigging  her.  When 
he  left  the  hut  he  went  about  the  yard  till  he  had  disposed 
of  a  considerable  amount  of  his  goods,  and  then  left  the 
prison  and  made  his  way  back  to  the  spot  where  he  had 
hidden  his  clothes.  On  arriving  there  he  changed  at  once, 
rubbed  the  pigment  from  his  face,  threw  away  the  wig 
and  whiskers,  hid  the  basket  in  a  place  which  he  and  the 
pedlar  had  agreed  upon,  with  the  clothes  in  it  and  the 
pass  in  one  of  the  pockets,  and  then  went  back  into  the 
village,  where  he  hired  a  chaise  and  drove  to  Fairham. 

"Landlord,"  he  said,  as  he  drew  up  at  the  principal 
hotel,  "I  shall  want  a  post-chaise  to-night  for  London.  I 
shall  be  at  a  party  to-night  and  cannot  say  at  what  time 
I  may  get  away,  but  have  the  horses  ready  to  put  in  at 
twelve  o'clock.  If  they  have  to  wait  an  hour  or  two  you 
shall  not  be  the  loser." 


A   DARING   EXPLOIT  307 

After  ordering  dinner,  he  strolled  about  the  town  till 
he  thought  it  would  be  nearly  ready.  Then  he  asked  for 
a  room,,  and  there  changed  into  his  naval  uniform,  which 
he  had  brought  with  him.  He  ate  a  good  dinner,  and 
then,  putting  on  his  cloak,  started  to  walk  back  to  For- 
chester,  carrying  with  him  a  bag  in  which  was  the  sailor's 
suit  he  had  bought  for  Lucien.  The  night  was  pitch  dark, 
and  the  rain  had  set  in  heavily,  but  although  his  walk  was 
not  an  agreeable  one  he  was  in  high  spirits.  In  his  letter 
to  Lucien  he  had  told  him  that  if  anything  should  prevent 
him  from  making  his  way  to  the  wall  that  night  he  would 
expect  him  on  the  following  one.  Nevertheless  he  felt 
sure  that  in  such  favourable  circumstances  he  would  be 
able  to  get  through  the  sentries  without  difficulty.  He 
took  up  a  position  as  near  as  he  could  guess  at  the  centre 
of  the  south  wall,  on  the  narrow  strip  of  ground  between 
it  and  the  lake.  He  had  waited  about  an  hour  when  he 
heard  a  slight  noise  a  few  yards  on  one  side  of  him.  He 
moved  towards  the  sound  and  was  just  in  time  to  see 
Lucien  alight.  He  grasped  him  by  the  hand. 

"Thank  heaven,"  he  said  in  French,  "that  I  have  got 
you  free,  as  I  promised  your  sweetheart  I  would!  Now 
let  us  first  make  our  way  up  to  the  village.  I  have  a  suit 
of  sailor's  clothes  for  you  in  this  bag ;  you  can  change  into 
them  when  we  get  beyond  the  houses,  and  throw  those  you 
are  wearing  into  the  pond  there,  with  a  few  stones  in  them 
to  make  them  sink." 

"Ah,  monsieur,  how  can  I  thank  you  ?"  Lucien  said. 

"I  am  only  paying  a  debt.  Marie  risked  a  good  deal  to 
aid  me,  and  I  promised  solemnly  that  I  would,  if  it  were 
at  all  possible,  get  you  out  of  prison  in  return,  so  there  is 
no  occasion  for  any  thanks." 


308  BY  CONDUCT  AND  COURAGE 

Few  words  passed  between  them  as  they  walked  through 
the  village,  and  when  they  had  left  it  behind,  Lucien 
changed  his  clothes  and  disposed  of  his  old  ones  as  Will 
had  suggested. 

"It  was  necessary  to  get  rid  of  them/'  Will  said,  "be- 
cause if  they  were  found  in  the  morning  it  would  show 
that  you  had  got  a  change,  and  instead  of  looking  for 
someone  in  a  well-worn  uniform  they  would  direct  their 
attention  to  other  people." 

They  tramped  along  to  Fairham,  and  reached  the  hotel 
just  as  it  was  about  to  shut  up,  the  stage-coach  having 
passed  a  few  minutes  before.  They  had  some  refresh- 
ments, and  then  took  their  seats  in  the  chaise.  At  once 
the  postilions  cracked  their  whips,  and  the  four  horses 
started  at  a  gallop. 

"We  are  absolutely  safe  now,"  Will  said ;  "they  will  not 
discover  that  you  have  gone  until  the  roll-call  in  the  morn- 
ing, and  by  that  time  we  shall  be  within  a  few  miles  of 
London.  In  such  weather  as  this  they  will  be  unable 
to  signal.  Before  we  arrive  I  will  put  on  civilian  clothes 
again,  and  as  soon  as  we  have  discharged  the  chaise  we 
will  go  to  a  clothier's  and  get  a  suit  for  you.  There  are 
so  many  emigrants  in  London  that  your  speaking  French 
will  attract  no  attention." 

The  journey  was  quickly  accomplished.  Will  was  very 
liberal  to  the  postilions  at  the  first  stage,  and  these  hur- 
ried up  those  who  were  to  take  the  next,  and  so  from 
stage  to  stage  they  went  at  the  top  of  the  horses'  speed, 
the  ninety  miles  being  covered  in  the  very  fast  time,  for 
the  period,  of  ten  hours.  At  the  last  stage  Will  asked 
for  a  room  to  himself  for  a  few  minutes  and  there  changed 


A   DARING   EXPLOIT  309 

his  clothes.  They  were  put  down  in  front  of  a  private 
house,  and,  having  seen  the  post-chaise  drive  off,  took  their 
bags  and  walked  on  until  they  reached  a  tailor's  shop. 

"I  want  to  put  my  man  into  plain  clothes  while  he  is 
with  me  in  town/'  Will  said  to  the  shopman. 

"Yes,  sir.    What  sort  of  clothes  ?" 

"Oh,  just  private  clothes,  such  as  a  valet  might  wear 
when  out  of  livery !" 

Lucien  was  soon  rigged  out  in  a  suit  of  quiet  but 
respectable  garments,  and,  putting  his  sailor  suit  into  his 
bag,  they  went  on.  They  looked  about  for  a  considerable 
time  before  they  found  a  suitable  lodging,  but  at  last 
they  came  upon  a  French  hotel.  Entering,  Will  asked  in 
French  for  two  rooms.  They  were  at  once  accommodated, 
and  after  washing  and  dressing  they  went  down  to  the 
coffee-room,  where  several  French  gentlemen  were  break- 
fasting. It  had  been  arranged  that  Will  should  say  that 
they  were  two  emigrants  who  had  just  effected  thir  escape 
from  France. 

The  next  day  they  took  the  coach  to  Weymouth,  the 
port  from  which  at  that  time  communication  was  kept 
open  with  France  by  means  of  smugglers  and  men  who 
made  a  business  of  aiding  the  French  emigrants  who 
wanted  to  escape,  or  the  Royalists  who  went  backwards 
and  forwards  trying  to  get  up  a  movement  against  the 
Republic.  On  making  enquiries  they  heard  of  a  man  who 
had  a  very  fast  little  vessel,  and  they  at  once  looked  him 
up.  "This  gentleman  wants  to  go  across,"  Will  said. 
"What  would  you  do  it  for  ?" 

"It  depends  whether  he  will  wait  till  I  get  some  more 
passengers  or  not." 


310  BY  CONDUCT  AND  COURAGE 

"He  is  pressed  for  time"  Will  said ;  "what  will  you  run 
him  over  for  alone?" 

"Fifty  pounds,"  the  man  said.  Will  thought  it  advis- 
able not  to  appear  to  jump  at  the  offer. 

"That  is  rather  stiff/'  he  said;  "I  should  think  thirty- 
five  would  be  ample." 

"It  seems  a  good  sum/'  the  man  said ;  "but  you  see  there 
are  dangers.  I  might  be  overhauled  by  a  British  cruiser." 

"You  might/'  Will  said;  "but  when  they  learned  your 
business  they  would  not  interfere  with  you." 

"Then  there  are  the  port  authorities/'  the  man  said. 

"Yes,  but  a  few  francs  would  prevent  them  from  asking 
inconvenient  questions.  Besides,  my  friend  is  not  a  Royal- 
ist, he  is  only  going  over  to  see  his  friends." 

"Well,  we  will  say  thirty-five,"  the  man  said  with  a 
smile.  "When  will  you  want  to  start  ?" 

"He  doesn't  care  whether  he  sails  this  evening  or  to- 
morrow morning." 

"Well,  we  will  say  to-morrow  morning  at  daybreak." 

"Where  will  you  land  him  ?" 

"At  Cherbourg  or  one  of  the  villages  near;  most  likely 
at  Cherbourg  if  the  coast  is  clear,  for  I  have  friends  there 
who  work  with  me." 

They  went  to  an  hotel  for  the  night.  In  the  morning 
Will  gave  Lucien  a  small  package  containing  a  very  hand- 
some gold  watch  and  chain  which  he  had  bought  in 
London. 

"Give  this  to  Marie  from  me,"  he  said;  "I  promised 
that  she  should  have  one  for  her  wedding-day.  Here  are 
a  thousand  francs  of  French  money,  which  will  carry  you 
comfortably  from  Cherbourg  to  Verdun  and  give  you  a 


A   DARING   EXPLOIT  311 

bit  of  a  start  there.  No,  you  need  not  refuse  it;  I  am 
a  rich  man,  and  can  afford  it  without  in  the  least  hurting 
myself.  Give  my  love  to  Marie/'  he  said,  "and  tell  her 
that  I  shall  never  forget  her  kindness/' 

Lucien  was  profuse  in  his  gratitude,  hut  Will  cut  him 
short  by  hurrying  him  down  to  the  boat,  which  was  lying 
at  the  quay  with  her  sails  already  hoisted.  Will  watched 
the  boat  till  it  was  well  out  to  sea,  and  then  took  the  next 
coach  back  to  London,  filled  with  pleasure  that  he  had 
been  able  to  carry  out  his  plan  and  to  repay  the  kindness 
that  Marie  had  shown  him. 

He  had  given  Lucien  the  address  of  his  London  agent, 
so  that  on  his  arrival  at  Verdun  he  could  write  him  a 
letter  saying  how  he  had  fared,  and  when  he  and  Marie 
were  to  be  married.  This  letter  he  received  on  his  return 
from  the  next  cruise.  It  contained  the  warmest  thanks  of 
Marie  and  her  lover,  and  the  information  that  they  were 
to  be  married  the  following  week,  and  that  the  young 
man  had  an  offer  of  good  employment  in  the  town. 

When  he  reached  London,  Will  obtained  the  address  of 
a  respectable  solicitor,  and  called  upon  him  to  ask  his 
advice  as  to  advertising  to  try  to  discover  a  family  bearing 
the  arms  of  his  seal. 

"I  should  advise  you,"  the  lawyer  said,  "to  leave  the 
matter  until  you  return  from  sea  again.  Questions  of 
this  sort  always  require  a  good  deal  of  time  to  answer. 
You  would  have  to  be  present  to  give  information,  and 
when  the  matter  is  taken  up  it  should  be  pressed  through 
vigorously.  Of  course  there  would  be  difficulties  to  face. 
The  mere  fact  of  this  seal  being  in  the  possession  of  your 
father,  that  is,  if  he  was  your  father,  would  not  be  suffi- 


312  BY  CONDUCT  AND  COUEAGE 

cient  to  prove  his  identity,  and  there  would  be  all  sorts 
of  investigations  to  make,  which  would,  of  course,  take 
time.  If  you  will  leave  the  matter  in  my  hands  I  will 
cause  enquiries  to  be  made  as  to  the  arms.  That  will 
probably  only  take  a  day  or  two,  and  it  would  perhaps  be 
a  satisfaction  to  you  to  know  the  family  with  which  you 
might  be  connected.  It  will  be  in  the  subsequent  steps 
that  delays  will  occur." 

"Thank  you,  sir!  I  should  certainly  like  to  know, 
though  I  quite  see  that,  as  you  say,  it  will  be  very  difficult 
for  me  to  establish  my  connection." 

The  lawyer  then  took  down  what  particulars  Will  could 
give  him  of  his  early  history.  When  he  returned  a  week 
later  the  lawyer  gave  him  a  cordial  reception. 

"I  congratulate  you,  Mr.  Gilmore,"  he  said.  "The  head 
of  the  family  carrying  those  arms  is  Sir  Ralph  Gilmore, 
one  of  our  oldest  baronets.  He  has  no  male  issue.  He 
had  one  son  who  died  six  years  ago.  There  was 
another  son,  a  younger  one,  of  whom  there  is  no  record. 
He  may  be  alive  and  he  may  be  dead;  that  is 
not  known.  It  is,  of  course,  possible  that  you  were 
stolen  as  a  child  by  your  reputed  father,  and  that  he  gave 
you  the  family  name  in  order  that  when  the  time  came 
he  could  produce  you,  but  of  course  that  is  all  guesswork. 
When  you  return  from  sea  again  I  will  set  people  to  work 
to  trace,  if  possible,  the  wanderings  of  this  person ;  but  as 
I  said  this  will  take  time,  and  as  you  will  be  going  to  sea 
in  a  fortnight  the  matter  can  very  well  stand  over.  So 
long  as  you  are  on  board  a  ship  your  parentage  can  make 
very  little  difference  to  you." 

Will  had  still  a  fortnight  of  his  leave  remaining.     He 


A  DARING  EXPLOIT  313 

wandered  about  London  for  a  couple  of  days,  but  he  found 
it  rather  dull  now  that  he  had  finished  his  business,  as  he 
had  no  friends  in  town.  On  the  second  day  he  was  walk- 
ing along  one  of  the  fashionable  streets  of  Bloomsbury, 
considering  whether  he  should  not  go  down  by  the  next 
coach  to  Portsmouth,  where  he  was  sure  of  meeting  friends, 
when  a  carriage  passed  him,  drawn  by  a  pair  of  fine  horses. 
A  young  lady  who  was  sitting  in  it  happened  to  notice 
him.  She  glanced  at  him  carelessly  at  first,  and  then 
with  great  interest.  She  stopped  the  carriage  before  it 
had  gone  many  yards,  and  when  Will  came  up,  looked  at 
him  closely.  "Excuse  me,  sir,"  she  said  as  he  was  passing ; 
"but  are  you  not  Mr.  Gilmore?"  Greatly  surprised  he 
replied  in  the  affirmative. 

"I  thought  so !"  she  exclaimed.  "Do  you  not  remember 
me?" 

He  looked  at  her  hard.  "Why — why,"  he  hesitated, 
"surely  it  is  not " 

"But  it  is  !"  she  cried.    "I  am  Alice  Palethorpe !" 

"Miss  Palethorpe!"  he  exclaimed,  grasping  the  hand 
she  held  out.  "Is  it  possible?" 

"Not  Miss  Palethorpe,"  she  said.  "To  you  I  am  Alice, 
as  I  was  nearly  four  years  ago.  Get  into  the  carriage. 
My  father  will  be  delighted  to  see  you.  We  have  talked 
of  you  so  often.  He  made  enquiries  at  the  Admiralty 
when  he  came  home,  but  found  that  you  were  a  prisoner 
in  France,  and  he  has  been  trying  to  get  your  name  down 
in  the  list  of  those  to  be  exchanged,  but  he  had  so  little 
interest  that  he  could  not  succeed,  and,  indeed,  for  the 
past  two  years  no  exchange  had  taken  place." 

By  this  time  he  was  in  the  carriage,  and  they  were 


314  BY  CONDUCT  AND  COUKAGE 

driving  rapidly  along  the  busy  streets.  Presently  they 
stopped  before  a  large  house  in  Bedford  Square. 

"This  is  our  home,  for  the  present  at  any  rate/'  she 
said.  "Now  come  in." 

She  ran  upstairs  before  him  and  signed  to  him  to  wait 
at  the  top.  "Father,"  she  said,  bursting  into  a  room,  "I 
have  taken  a  captive;  someone  you  certainly  don't  expect 
to  see.  Now,  you  must  guess." 

"How  can  I,  my  dear,  when  you  say  I  don't  expect  to 
see  him?  Is  it — ?"  and  he  mentioned  five  or  six  of  his 
friends  in  Jamaica,  any  of  whom  might  be  returning. 

"No,  father.    You  are  out  altogether." 

"Then  I  give  it  up,  Alice." 

"It  is  Will,"  she  said. 

Will  heard  him  spring  to  his  feet  and  hurry  to  the  door. 

"My  dear  young  friend !"  he  exclaimed.  "At  least  I 
suppose  it  is  you,  for  you  have  grown  out  of  all  recogni- 
tion." 

"Ah,  father!"  the  girl  broke  in.  "You  see,  he  hadn't 
changed  so  much  as  to  deceive  me.  I  felt  sure  of  him 
the  moment  I  set  eyes  upon  him." 

"Well,  then,  your  eyes  do  you  credit,"  her  father  said. 
"Certainly  I  should  not  have  recognized  him.  He  has 
grown  from  a  lad  into  a  man  since  we  saw  him  last.  He 
has  widened  out  tremendously.  He  was  rather  one  of 
the  lean  kine  at  that  time." 

"Oh,  father,  how  can  you  say  so?  I  consider  that  he 
was  just  right." 

"Yes,  my  dear,  I  quite  understand  that.  At  that  time 
he  was  perfect  in  your  eyes,  but  for  all  that  he  was  lean." 

"You  are  quite  right,  sir,  I  was,  and  I  really  wonder 


A  DARING  EXPLOIT  315 

that  I  have  put  on  flesh  so  much.  The  diet  of  a  French 
prisoner  is  not  calculated  to  promote  stoutness.  But 
your  daughter  was  not  only  sharper-sighted  than  you,  but 
even  than  myself.  Till  she  spoke  to  me  I  had  not  an 
idea  who  she  was.  I  saw  that  she  thought  she  recognized 
me,  but  I  was  afraid  it  would  be  rude  on  my  part  to  look 
at  her  closely.  Of  course  now  I  do  see  the  likeness  to  the 
Alice  I  kaew,  but  she  has  changed  far  more  than  I  have. 
She  was  a  little  girl  of  fourteen  then,  very  pretty,  cer- 
tainly, I  thought,  but  still  quite  a  girl — "  and  he  stopped. 

"Now,  you  mean  that  I  have  grown  into  a  young  woman, 
and  have  lost  my  prettiness  ?" 

"I  think  your  looking-glass  tells  you  another  story," 
he  laughed.  "If  it  doesn't,  it  must  be  a  very  bad  one." 

"Well,  now,  do  sit  down,"  her  father  said.  "You  must 
have  an  immense  deal  to  tell  us." 

"It  is  a  longish  story,"  Will  replied,  "too  long  to  tell 
straight  off.  Besides,  I  want  to  ask  some  questions.  When 
did  you  come  home?  Have  you  come  for  good?  If  not, 
how  long  are  you  going  to  stay?  though  I  am  sorry  to 
say  that  the  length  of  your  visit  can  affect  me  compara- 
tively little,  for  I  am  appointed  second  lieutenant  of  the 
Jason,  and  must  join  in  a  few  days." 

"I  congratulate  you  very  heartily,  Will,"  Mr.  Pale- 
thorpe  said.  "You  are  fortunate  indeed  to  get  such 
promotion  so  early." 

"I  am  most  fortunate,  sir.  Though  just  at  present  I 
feel  inclined  to  wish  that  it  hadn't  come  quite  so  soon." 

"In  answer  to  your  question,  Will,  I  can  say  that  we 
are  home  for  good.  I  have  disposed  of  my  estate  and 
wound  up  my  business,  principally,  I  think,  because  this 


316  BY  CONDUCT  AND  COURAGE 

little  girl  had  made  up  her  mind  that  she  should  like 
England  better  than  Jamaica." 

"I  am  glad  to  hear  that,  sir.  I  shall  have  something  to 
look  forward  to  when  I  return  to  England." 

"Where  are  you  staying?" 

"At  the  Golden  Cross." 

"Well,  then,  you  must  go  and  fetch  your  luggage  here 
at  once.  It  would  be  strange  indeed  if  you  were  to  be 
staying  at  any  house  but  mine  while  you  are  in  London." 

As  he  saw  that  the  planter  would  not  hear  of  a  refusal, 
Will  gladly  accepted  the  invitation,  and,  taking  a  fly,  drove 
to  the  hotel,  paid  his  bill,  and  took  his  things  away. 


CHAPTER   XVII 


"  T  WON'T  ask  you  for  your  story  till  after  dinner,"  Mr. 
•A  Palethorpe  said.  "To  enjoy  a  yarn  one  needs  to  be 
comfortable,  and  I  feel  more  at  home  in  my  arm-chair  in 
the  dining-room  than  I  do  in  this  room,  with  all  its  fal- 
lals. You  see,  I  have  taken  the  house  furnished.  When  I 
settle  down  in  a  home  of  my  own,  I  can  assure  you  it  will 
look  very  different  from  this.  In  fact  I  have  one  already 
building  for  me.  It  is  at  Dulwich,  and  will  be  as  nearly 
as  possible  like  my  house  in  Jamaica.  Of  course  there  will 
be  differences.  I  at  first  wished  to  have  the  same  sort  of 
veranda,  but  the  architect  pointed  out  that  while  in  Ja- 


317 

maica  one  requires  shade,  here  one  wants  light.  So  they 
are  getting  large  sheets  of  glass  specially  made  for  putting 
in  instead  of  wood  above  the  windows.  Then,  of  course, 
we  want  good  fireplaces,  whereas  in  Jamaica  a  fire  is  only 
necessary  for  a  few  days  in  the  year.  There  are  also  other 
little  differences,  but  on  the  whole  it  will  remind  me  of 
the  place  I  had  for  so  many  years." 

"The  house  will  have  one  advantage  over  that  in  Ja- 
maica, Mr.  Palethorpe." 

"What  is  that?"  he  asked. 

"You  will  be  able  to  go  to  bed  comfortably  without 
fear  of  having  the  roof  taken  from  over  your  head  by  a 
hurricane." 

"Ah !  that  is  indeed  a  matter  to  which  I  have  not  given 
sufficient  consideration,  but  it  is  certainly  a  very  sub- 
stantial advantage,  as  we  have  all  good  reason  to  know." 

"I  never  think  of  it  without  shuddering,"  Alice  said. 
"It  was  awful !  It  seemed  as  if  there  was  an  end  of  every- 
thing! I  think  it  was  the  memory  of  that  night  that 
first  set  me  thinking  of  going  to  England." 

"Then  I  cannot  but  feel  grateful  to  that  hurricane,  for 
if  you  had  remained  out  there  it  is  probable  that  I  should 
never  have  met  you  again." 

"I  am  having  a  large  conservatory  built  so  that  we  can 
have  greenness  and  flowers  all  the  year,"  Mr.  Palethorpe 
remarked  presently. 

"I  should  think  that  would  be  charming.  I  hope  you 
will  be  settled  at  Dulwich  long  before  I  come  back  from 
my  next  cruise." 

"Well,  I  don't  know  that  I  can  say  the  same,  Will.  I 
hope  your  next  cruise  will  be  a  short  one." 


318  BY  CONDUCT  AND  COURAGE 

When  dinner  was  over,,  the  chairs  were  drawn  up  to  the 
fire,  and  Will  related  his  adventures  since  his  return  from 
the  West  Indies. 

"Have  you  heard  of  your  two  favourite  sailors?"  Alice 
interrupted. 

"Dimchurch  and  Tom  Stevens?  No,  I  have  not,  I 
shall  feel  lost  without  them  at  sea,  and  sincerely  hope  that 
I  may  some  day  run  against  them,  in  which  case  I  am  sure, 
if  they  are  free,  they  will  join  my  ship." 

"How  terribly  cut  up  they  must  have  been,"  the  girl 
said,  "when  they  got  down  to  the  beach  and  found  that 
you  were  missing !" 

"I  am  sure  they  would  be,"  he  replied.  "I  expect  the 
rest  of  the  men  almost  had  to  hold  them  back  by  force." 

"Well,  go  on.    You  were  hit  and  made  prisoner." 

Will  went  on  with  his  story  till  he  came  to  his  escape 
from  Verdun. 

"What  was  she  like  ?"  the  girl  asked.  "I  expect  she  was 
very  pretty." 

"No,  not  particularly  so.  She  was  a  very  pleasant- 
looking  girl." 

"I  can  imagine  she  seemed  very  pleasant  to  you,"  the 
girl  laughed;  "and,  of  course,  before  you  got  out  of  the 
window  and  climbed  to  the  top  of  the  house  you  kissed 
her,  didn't  you?" 

"Yes,  I  did,"  Will  said.  "Of  course  she  expected  to  be 
kissed.  I  am  not  at  all  used  to  kissing.  In  fact,  I  only 
experienced  it  once  before,  and  then  I  was  a  perfectly 
passive  actor  in  the  affair." 

The  girl  flushed  up  rosily. 

"You  drew  that  upon  yourself,  Alice,"  her  father  said. 


ON   BOARD   THE    " JASON"  319 

"If  you  had  left  him  alone  he  would  not  have  brought  up 
that  old  affair." 

"I  don't  care,"  she  said.  "I  was  only  thirteen,  and  he 
had  saved  my  life." 

"You  didn't  do  it  again,  my  dear,  I  hope,  when  you  met 
him  in  the  street  to-day." 

"Of  course  not !"  she  exclaimed  indignantly.  "The 
idea  of  such  a  thing !" 

"Very  well,  let  this  be  a  lesson  to  you  not  to  enquire 
too  strictly  into  such  matters." 

"Ah !  I  will  bear  it  in  mind,"  she  said. 

"I  can  assure  you,  Alice,  that  it  was  a  perfectly  friendly 
kiss.  She  was  engaged  to  be  married  to  a  young  soldier 
who  was  a  prisoner  at  Porchester,  and  during  the  past 
week  I  have  been  employed  in  setting  him  free,  as  you  will 
hear  presently.  I  promised  her  I  would  do  so  if  possible, 
and  of  course  I  kept  my  word." 

"What!  you,  an  English  officer,  set  a  French  prisoner 
free !  I  am  shocked  !"  Mr.  Palethorpe  said. 

"I  would  have  tried  to  set  twenty  of  them  free  if  twenty 
of  their  sweethearts  had  united  to  get  me  away  from 
prison." 

They  laughed  heartily  at  the  story  of  his  escape  as  a 
pedlar,  and  were  intensely  interested  in  his  account  of  the 
manner  in  which  he  succeeded  in  getting  a  despatch  from 
the  agent  of  the  British  Government  at  Amsterdam.  He 
continued  the  narrative  until  his  arrival  in  England. 

"Now  we  shall  hear,  I  suppose,  how  this  British  officer 
perpetrated  an  act  of  treason  against  His  Most  Gracious 
Majesty." 

"Well,  I  suppose  it  was  that  in  the  eyes  of  the  law," 


320  BY   CONDUCT   AND   COURAGE 

Will  laughed.  "Fortunately,  however,  the  law  has  no 
cognizance  of  the  affair,  at  any  rate  not  of  my  share  in 
it.  I  don't  suppose  it  has  been  heard  of  outside  Por- 
chester.  As  His  Gracious  Majesty  has  some  forty  thou- 
sand prioners  in  England,  the  loss  of  one  more  or  less  will 
not  trouble  his  gracious  brain." 

He  then  related  the  whole  history  of  Lucien's  escape. 

"I  should  have  liked  to  see  you  dressed  up  like  a  pedlar, 
with  your  face  all  painted,  and  a  wig  and  whiskers,"  the 
girl  said,  "though  I  don't  suppose  I  should  have  recog- 
nized you  in  that  disguise  to-day/' 

"It  was  a  capitally-managed  plan,  Will,  and  had  it  been 
for  a  legitimate  object  I  should  have  given  it  unstinted 
praise.  And  so  you  saw  him  safely  off  from  England  ?" 

"Yes ;  and  by  this  time  I  have  no  doubt  he  is  on  the  top 
of  a  vehicle  of  some  sort,  going  as  fast  as  horses  can 
gallop  to  join  his  sweetheart." 

"I  wonder,"  Alice  said  mischievously,  "whether  she  will 
ever  tell  him  of  that  kiss  at  the  window." 

"I  dare  say  she  will,"  laughed  Will,  "but  perhaps  not 
till  they  are  married.  I  sent  her  the  gold  watch  I 
promised  her,  and  when  she  holds  it  up  before  his  eyes  I 
think  he  won't  grudge  her  the  kiss.  Still,  I  believe  these 
things  are  not  always  mentioned." 

"No,  I  suppose  not,"  she  said,  with  an  affectation  of 
not  understanding  him.  "Why  should  they  be?" 

"I  can't  say  indeed,  if  you  can't." 

"Well,  I  am  not  ashamed  of  it  one  little  bit,  though  I 
own  that  I  never  have  told  anybody.  But  I  don't  see  why 
I  shouldn't.  I  am  sure  there  were  at  least  half  a  dozen 
ladies  in  Jamaica  who  would  willingly  have  kissed  you 
for  what  you  did  for  them." 


321 

"Thank  you!  I  should  certainly  not  have  willingly 
submitted  to  the  ordeal/' 

It  was  late  when  the  story  was  finished,  and  they  soon 
afterwards  went  to  bed. 

Will  spent  a  delightful  week  with  his  friends.  Alice  had 
grown  up  into  a  charming  young  woman,  full  of  life  and 
vivacity,  and  even  prettier  than  she  had  promised  to  be 
as  a  girl.  They  went  about  together  to  all  the  sights  of 
London,  for  Mr.  Palethorpe  said  that  he  didn't  care  about 
going,  and  young  people  were  best  left  to  themselves. 
When  the  time  came  for  parting,  Will  for  the  first  time 
experienced  a  feeling  of  reluctance  at  joining  his  ship. 
He  and  Alice  were  now  almost  on  their  old  footing,  and 
Will  thought  that  she  was  by  far  the  nicest  girl  he  had 
ever  seen;  but  it  was  not  until  he  was  on  top  of  the 
Portsmouth  coach  that  he  recognized  how  much  she  was  to 
him.  "Well,"  he  said  to  himself,  "I  never  thought  I 
should  feel  like  this.  Some  young  fellows  are  always 
falling  in  love.  I  used  to  think  it  was  all  nonsense,  but 
now  I  understand  it.  I  do  not  know  why  her  father 
should  object  to  me,  as  I  am  fairly  well  off.  I  must  see 
as  much  of  her  as  I  can  when  I  land  next  time.  I  hope 
she  won't  meet  anyone  in  the  meantime  she  likes  better." 

The  Jason  was  now  lying  out  in  the  harbour,  and  the 
riggers  had  taken  possession  of  her.  Will  at  once  reported 
himself  and  went  on  board.  The  other  officers  had  not 
yet  joined,  but  he  at  once  took  up  his  work  with  his  usual 
zeal,  and  spent  a  busy  fortnight  looking  after  the  riggers, 
and  seeing  that  everything  was  done  in  the  best  manner. 
He  was,  however,  somewhat  angry  to  find  that  Alice's  face 
and  figure  were  continually  intruding  themselves  into  the 


322  BY  CONDUCT  AND  COURAGE 

cordage  and  shrouds.  "I  am  becoming  a  regular  moon- 
calf," he  said  angrily  to  himself.  "It  is  perfectly  absurd 
that  I  can't  keep  my  thoughts  from  wandering  away  from 
my  work,  and  for  a  girl  whom  I  can  hardly  dare  hope  to 
win.  I  shall  be  very  glad  when  we  are  off  to  sea.  I'll 
then  have,  I  won't  say  something  better,  but  something 
else  to  think  of.  If  this  is  being  in  love,  certainly  it  is 
not  the  thing  a  sailor  should  engage  in.  I  have  often 
heard  it  said  that  a  sailor's  ship  should  be  his  wife,  and 
I  have  no  longer  any  doubt  about  it.  But  I  know  I'll  get 
over  it  when  I  hear  the  first  broadside  fired." 

A  week  later  the  first  lieutenant  joined.  His  name  was 
Somerville. 

"Ah,  Mr.  Gilmore,"  he  said,  "I  see  you  have  taken  time 
by  the  forelock  and  given  an  eye  to  everything!  I  only 
received  my  appointment  two  days  ago  or  I  should  have 
joined  before.  There  is  nothing  like  having  an  officer  to 
superintend  things,  and  I  feel  really  very  much  obliged  to 
you  for  not  having  extended  your  leave,  which,  of  course, 
you  could  have  done,  especially  as,  so  far  as  I  know,  no 
boatswain  has  yet  been  appointed." 

"I  was  glad  to  get  back  to  work,  sir,  and  it  is  really 
very  interesting  seeing  all  the  rigging  set  up  from  the 
very  beginning." 

"That  is  so,  but  for  all  that  men  don't  generally  want 
to  rejoin,"  the  first  lieutenant  said  with  a  smile.  "The 
difficulty  is  to  get  young  officers  on  board.  They  hang 
back,  as  a  rule,  till  the  very  last  moment.  Well,  if  you 
will  dine  with  me  this  evening,  Mr.  Gilmore,  at  the 
George,  I  shall  be  glad  to  hear  of  some  of  your  services. 
That  they  are  distinguished  I  have  no  doubt,  for  nothing 


ON  BOARD  THE   "  JASON "  323 

but  the  most  meritorious  services  or  extraordinary  inter- 
est could  have  gained  you  at  your  age  the  appointment  of 
second  lieutenant  in  a  fine  ship  like  this.  I  think  it  a  very 
good  thing  for  the  first  lieutenant  to  know  the  antecedents 
of  those  serving  with  him.  Such  knowledge  is  very  useful 
to  him  in  any  crisis  or  emergency." 

After  dinner  that  evening  Will  gave  an  account  of  his 
services,  the  lieutenant  at  times  asking  for  more  minute 
details,  especially  of  the  capture  of  the  two  pirates. 

"Thank  you  very  much!"  Lieutenant  Somerville  said 
when  he  had  finished.  "Now  I  feel  that  I  can,  in  any 
emergency,  depend  upon  you  to  second  me,  which  I  can 
assure  you  is  by  no  means  commonly  the  case,  for  promo- 
tion goes  so  much  by  influence,  and  such  incapable  men 
are  pushed  up  in  the  service  that  it  is  a  comfort  indeed 
to  have  an  officer  who  knows  his  work  thoroughly.  I  hope 
to  goodness  we  shall  have  the  captain  so  fine  a  ship  de- 
serves." 

"I  hope  so  indeed,  sir.  I  have  hitherto  been  extremely 
fortunate  in  having  good  captains,  as  good  as  one  could 
wish  for." 

"You  are  fortunate  indeed,  then.  I  have  been  under 
two  or  three  men  who,  either  from  ignorance  or  ill-temper 
or  sheer  indifference,  have  been  enough  to  take  the  heart 
entirely  out  of  their  officers." 

On  the  day  when  the  Jason  was  ready  for  commission 
the  captain  came  down  to  Portsmouth  and  put  up  at  the 
George,  and  Mr.  Somerville  and  Will  called  upon  him 
there.  He  was  a  young  man,  some  years  younger  than 
the  first  lieutenant. 

"Gentlemen,"  he  began,   "I  have  pleasure  in  making 


324  BY  CONDUCT  AND  COURAGE 

your  acquaintance.  I  saw  the  admiral  this  morning,  and 
he  assured  me  that  I  could  not  wish  for  better  officers. 
I  hope  we  shall  get  on  pleasantly  together,  and  can  assure 
you  that  if  we  do  not  it  will  not  be  my  fault.  We  have 
as  fine  a  ship  as  men  could  wish  to  sail  in,  and  I  will 
guarantee  that  you  will  not  find  me  slack  in  using  her. 
As  you  may  guess  by  my  age,  I  owe  my  present  position 
partly  to  family  interest,  but  my  object  will  be  to  prove 
that  that  interest  has  not  been  altogether  misplaced.  I 
have  already  had  command  of  a  frigate,  and  we  had  our 
full  share  of  hard  service.  I  am  afraid  that  with  a  seventy- 
four  we  shall  not  have  quite  so  many  opportunities  of 
distinguishing  ourselves,  but  shall  generally  have  to  work 
with  the  fleet  and  fight  when  other  people  bid  us,  and  not 
merely  when  we  see  a  good  chance.  There  is,  however, 
as  much  credit,  if  not  as  much  prize-money,  to  be  gained 
in  a  pitched  battle  as  in  isolated  actions.  I  was  kindly 
permitted  by  the  admiral  to  read  both  your  records  of 
service,  and  I  cannot  say  how  gratified  I  was  to  find  that 
I  had  two  such  able  and  active  officers  to  second  me." 

"I  am  sure  we  are  much  obliged  to  you,  sir,"  Lieutenant 
Somerville  replied,  "for  speaking  to  us  as  you  have  done. 
I  can  answer  for  it  that  we  will  second  you  to  the  very 
best  of  our  power,  and  I  am  glad  indeed  to  find  that  we 
have  a  commander  whose  sentiments  so  entirely  accord 
with  our  own." 

"Now,  gentlemen,  we  have  done  with  the  formalities. 
Let  us  crack  a  bottle  of  wine  together  to  our  better  ac- 
quaintance, and  I  hope  I  shall  very  often  see  you  at  my 
table  on  board,  for  while  I  feel  that  discipline  must  be 
maintained,  I  have  no  belief  in  a  captain  holding  himself 


325 

entirely  aloof  from  his  officers,  as  if  he  were  a  little  god. 
On  the  quarter-deck  a  captain  must  stand  somewhat  aloof, 
but  in  his  own  cabin  I  cannot  see  why  he  should  not  treat 
his  officers  as  gentlemen  like  himself." 

They  sat  and  chatted  for  an  hour,  and  when  they  left, 
Lieutenant  Somerville  said  to  Will:  "If  I  am  not  much 
mistaken,  we  shall  have  a  very  pleasant  time  on  board  the 
Jason.  I  believe  Captain  Charteris  means  every  word  he 
says,  and  that  he  is  a  thoroughly  good  fellow.  He  has  a 
very  pleasant  face,  though  a  firm  and  resolute  one,  and 
when  he  gives  an  order  it  will  have  to  be  obeyed  promptly ; 
but  he  is  a  man  who  will  make  allowances,  and  I  do  not 
think  the  cat  will  be  very  often  brought  into  requisition 
on  board." 

One  day  Will  was  sauntering  down  the  High  Street 
when  he  saw  two  country-looking  men  coming  along.  One 
of  them  looked  at  him  and  staggered  back  in  astonish- 
ment. 

"Why,"  he  exclaimed,  "it  is  Mr.  Gil  more !  We  thought 
you  were  in  prison  in  the  middle  of  France,  sir." 

"So  I  was,  Dimchurch;  but,  as  you  see,  I  have  taken 
leg-bail." 

"That  was  a  terrible  affair,  sir,  at  them  French  bat- 
teries. When  I  got  down  to  the  shore,  and  found  you 
were  missing,  it  was  as  much  as  they  could  do  to  keep 
Tom  here  and  me  from  going  back.  You  mayn't  believe 
me,  Mr.  Gilmore,  but  we  both  cried  like  children  as  we 
rowed  to  the  Tartar." 

"I  am  indeed  glad  to  see  you  again,  and  you  too,  Tom. 
I  guessed  that  if  I  ever  came  across  the  one  I  should  meet 
the  other  also.  What  are  you  doing  in  those  togs  ?" 


326  BY  CONDUCT  AND  COUKAGE 

"Well,  sir,  we  put  them  on  because  we  did  not  want  to 
be  impressed  by  the  first  ship  that  came  in,  but  preferred 
to  wait  a  bit  till  we  saw  one  to  suit  us.  I  see,  sir,  that  you 
have  shipped  a  swab.  That  means,  of  course,  that  you  have 
got  a  lieutenancy.  I  congratulate  you  indeed,  sir,  on  your 
promotion." 

"Yes,  I  got  it  a  month  ago,  and  to  a  fine  ship,  the 
Jason/" 

"She  is  a  fine  ship,  sir,  and  no  mistake.  Tom  and  I 
were  watching  her  lying  out  in  the  harbour  yesterday,  and 
were  saying  that,  though  we  have  always  been  accustomed 
to  frigates,  we  should  not  mind  shipping  in  her  if  we 
found  out  something  about  the  captain." 

"Well,  I  can  tell  you,  Dimchurch,  that  he  is  just  the 
man  you  would  like  to  serve  under,  young  and  dashing, 
and,  I  should  say,  a  good  officer  and  a  fine  fellow." 

"And  who  is  the  first  lieutenant,  sir,  because  that  mat- 
ters almost  as  much  as  the  captain  ?" 

"He  is  a  good  fellow  too,  Dimchurch,  a  man  who  loves 
his  profession  and  has  a  good  record." 

"And  who  is  the  second,  sir?  not  that  it  matters  much 
about  him  if  the  captain  and  first  luff  are  all  right.  I 
suppose  she  has  four  on  board,  as  she  is  a  line-of-battle 
ship?" 

"Yes,  she  carries  four.  As  to  the  second,  I  can  only  tell 
you  that  he  is  one  of  the  finest  fellows  in  the  service,  and 
you  will  understand  that  when  I  say  that  I  am  the  second 
lieutenant." 

"What,  sir !"  Dimchurch  almost  shouted ;  "they  have 
made  you  second  lieutenant  on  a  line-of-battle  ship !  Well, 
that  is  one  of  the  few  times  I  have  known  promotion  go 


327 

by  merit.  I  am  glad,  sir.  Well,  I  will  go  and  sign  articles 
at  once,  and  so,  of  course,  will  Tom;  and  what  is  more,  I 
will  guarantee  to  find  you  a  score  of  first-rate  hands, 
maybe  more." 

"That  is  good  indeed/'  Will  said.  "I  will  speak  to  the 
first  lieutenant  and  get  you  rated  as  boatswain,  if  possible. 
You  have  already  served  in  that  capacity,  and  unless  the 
berth  is  filled  up,  which  is  not  likely,  I  have  no  doubt  I 
can  get  it  for  you." 

"Well,  sir,  if  you  can,  of  course  I  shall  be  glad;  but  I 
would  ship  with  you  if  it  was  only  as  loblolly  boy." 

"The  same  here,"  Tom  said;  "you  know  that,  sir,  with- 
out my  saying  it." 

"Is  there  any  berth  that  I  could  get  you,  Tom  ?" 

"ISTo,  sir,  thank  you !  A.B.  is  good  enough  for  me.  I 
am  not  active  enough  to  be  captain  of  the  top,  but  I  can 
pull  on  a  rope,  or  row  an  oar,  or  strike  a  good  blow,  with 
any  man." 

"That  you  can,  Tom;  but  I  do  wish  I  could  get  you  a 
lift  too.  How  about  gunner's  mate?" 

"No,  thank  you,  sir!  I  would  rather  stop  A.B.  I 
should  like  to  be  your  honour's  servant,  but,  lor',  I  should 
never  do  to  wait  in  the  ward-room.  I  am  as  clumsy  as 
a  bear,  and  should  always  be  spilling  something,  and 
breaking  glasses,  and  getting  into  trouble.  No,  sir,  I 
will  be  A.B.,  but  of  course  I  should  like  to  be  appointed 
to  your  boat." 

"That  is  a  matter  of  course,  Tom.  Well,  I  will  go 
round  to  the  dockyard  at  once  and  see  you  sworn  in,  and 
then  gladden  the  first  lieutenant's  heart  by  telling  him 
that  you  will  bring  a  good  number  of  men  along  with  you, 
for  at  present  we  are  very  short-handed." 


328  BY  CONDUCT  AND  COURAGE 

"You  trust  me  for  that,  sir.  I  know  where  lots  of  them 
are  lying  hid,  not  because  they  don't  want  to  serve,  but 
because  they  want  a  good  ship  and  a  good  captain.  When 
I  tell  them  that  it  is  a  fine  ship,  and  a  good  captain,  and 
a  good  first  and  second,  they  will  jump  at  it." 

Dimchurch  was  as  good  as  his  word,  and  the  following 
week  persuaded  thirty  first-class  seamen  to  sign  on. 

"At  the  same  time,  sir,"  he  said  as  they  went  towards 
the  harbour,  "I  would  rather  she  had  been  a  frigate.  One 
has  always  a  chance  of  picking  up  something  then,  as  one 
gets  sent  about  on  expeditions,  while  on  a  battle-ship  one  is 
just  stuck  blockading." 

"That  is  just  what  I  think,"  Tom  said.  "There  are  no 
boat  expeditions,  no  chances  of  picking  up  a  prize  every 
two  or  three  days,  or  of  chasing  a  pirate.  Still,  though  the 
Tartar  was  a  frigate,  we  did  not  have  much  fun  in  her, 
except  when  we  were  on  shore.  That  was  good  enough, 
though  it  would  not  have  been  half  so  good  if  the  sailors 
had  not  done  it  alone.  We  wanted  to  show  these  redcoats 
what  British  seamen  could  do  when  they  were  on  their 
metal.  I  know  I  never  worked  half  so  hard  in  my  life." 

"Well,  I  quite  agree  with  you.  It  is  more  pleasant  com- 
manding a  small  craft  than  being  second  officer  in  a  large 
one,  although  I  must  say  I  could  not  have  had  a  more 
pleasant  captain  and  first  lieutenant  than  I  have  now  if 
I  had  picked  them  out  from  the  whole  fleet.  I'm  sorry 
that  I  cannot  get  leave  at  present,  for  I  want  to  make 
researches  about  my  father.  According  to  what  my  lawyer 
said  it  is  likely  to  be  a  long  job.  I  hope,  however,  to  get 
it  well  in  trim  on  my  next  spell  ashore.  It  makes  really 
no  difference  to  me  now  who  or  what  my  father  was.  I 


329 

have  a  good  position,,  and  what  with  the  prize-money  I 
made  before,  and  shall  gain  now  by  my  share  of  the  sale 
of  the  frigates  we  took  at  Corsica,  to  say  nothing  of  the 
guns  and  stores  we  captured,  I  have  more  than  enough  to 
satisfy  all  my  wants." 

"I  have  done  extraordinarily  well  too,  Mr.  Gilmore," 
Dimchurch  said.  "I  took  your  advice,  and  Tom  and  I 
have  put  all  our  prize-money  aside.  He  has  over  a  thou- 
sand saved,  and  I  have  quite  sufficient  to  keep  me  in  idle- 
ness all  my  life,  even  if  I  never  do  a  stroke  of  work 
again." 

Mr.  Somerville,  on  Will's  recommendation,  at  once  ap- 
pointed Dimchurch  boatswain,  and  he  soon  proved  him- 
self thoroughly  efficient.  "He  is  a  fine  fellow,  that  sailor 
of  yours,"  the  lieutenant  said,  "and  will  make  a  first-rate 
boatswain.  He  has  done  good  service  in  bringing  up  so 
many  hands,  and  good  ones  too,  and  he  is  evidently  popu- 
lar among  the  men." 

"He  is  a  thoroughly  good  man,  sir.  He  attached  him- 
self to  my  fortunes  when  I  was  but  a  ship's  boy,  and  has 
stuck  to  me  ever  since.  He  and  Tom  Stevens  are,  with 
one  exception,  the  greatest  friends  I  have  ever  had,  and 
both  of  them  would  lay  down  their  lives  for  me." 

"A  good  master  makes  a  good  man,"  Lieutenant  Somer- 
ville said  with  a  smile.  "Your  greatest  friend  was,  of 
course,  the  lady  who  pushed  you  on  with  your  education." 

"Yes,  sir,  certainly  I  regard  her  as  the  best  friend  I 
ever  had." 

"Well,  there  is  no  better  friend  for  a  lad  than  a  good 
woman,  Gilmore.  In  that  sense  my  mother  was  my  great- 
est friend.  Most  mothers  are  against  their  sons  going  to 


330          BY  CONDUCT  AND  COURAGE 

sea.  In  my  case  it  was  my  father  who  objected,,  hut  my 
mother,  seeing  how  I  was  bent  upon  it,  persuaded  him  to 
let  me  go." 

Three  weeks  after  being  commissioned  the  complement 
of  the  Jason  was  complete,  and  she  was  ordered  to  proceed 
to  the  West  Indies,  to  which  place  they  made  a  fast 
passage.  To  their  disappointment  they  fell  in  with  none 
of  the  enemy's  cruisers  on  their  way.  The  voyage,  how- 
ever, sufficed  to  give  the  crew  confidence  in  their  com- 
mander. He  was  prompt  and  quick  in  giving  orders,  and 
at  the  same  time  pleasant  in  manner.  He  paid  far  more 
attention  than  most  captains  to  the  comfort  of  his  crew, 
and,  while  he  insisted  upon  the  most  perfect  order  and 
discipline,  abstained  from  giving  unnecessary  work.  In 
cases  where  punishments  were  absolutely  necessary  he 
punished  severely,  but  when  it  was  at  all  possible  he  let 
delinquents  off  with  a  lecture.  So,  while  he  was  feared 
by  the  rougher  spirits  of  the  crew,  he  was  regarded  with 
liking  and  respect  by  the  good  men. 

On  their  arrival  at  Carlisle  Bay,  Barbados,  they  found 
that  they  were  in  time  to  join  a  naval  expedition  whose 
object  was  to  recover  the  islands  of  St.  Lucia,  St.  Vincent, 
and  Grenada,  which  had  been  captured  by  the  French  the 
previous  year. 

A  fleet  had  been  sent  from  England  under  the  com- 
mand of  Rear-admiral  Christian,  consisting  of  two  ships 
of  the  line  and  five  frigates,  convoying  a  large  fleet  of 
transports  with  a  strong  body  of  troops  on  board  under 
the  command  of  Sir  Ralph  Abercrombie. 

At  Carlisle  Bay  this  fleet  were  joined  by  most  of  the 
ships  on  the  West  Indian  station,  and  on  the  21st  April, 


331 

1796,  the  augmented  fleet,  under  the  command  of  Sir 
John  Laforey,  sailed  to  Marin  Bay,  Martinique,  where 
they  anchored.  On  the  following  day  Sir  John  Laforey 
resigned  his  command  to  Admiral  Christian  and  sailed 
for  England.  The  fleet  then  stood  across  to  St.  Lucia. 
The  troops  were  landed  at  three  different  points  under 
the  protection  of  the  guns  of  the  fleet. 

The  first  point  was  protected  by  a  five-gun  battery. 
The  fire  of  the  ships,  however,  soon  silenced  it,  and  the 
first  division  made  good  its  landing.  The  seventy-four- 
gun  ship  Alfred  was  to  have  led  the  second  division,  sup- 
ported by  the  fifty-four-gun  ship  Madras  and  the  forty- 
gun  frigate  Beaulieu,  but  the  attempt  was  thwarted  by 
lightness  of  wind  and  a  strong  lee  current.  On  the  next 
day,  however,  a  landing  was  effected  with  little  opposition. 
Eight  hundred  seamen,  under  the  command  of  Captains 
Lane  of  the  thirty-two-gun  frigate  Astrea  and  Kyves  of 
the  bomb-vessel  Bulldog,  were  landed  to  co-operate  with 
the  troops.  Morne  Chabot  was  attacked  and  carried  that 
night  with  the  loss  of  thirteen  officers  and  privates  killed, 
forty-nine  wounded,  and  twelve  missing. 

On  the  3d  of  May  an  attempt  was  made  to  dislodge  the 
enemy  from  their  batteries  at  the  base  of  the  mountains, 
but  was  repulsed  with  loss,  as  was  an  attack  on  the  17th 
on  the  place  called  Vigie. 

In  the  meantime  the  men  had  been  busy  building 
batteries  and  planting  guns,  and  when  these  opened  fire 
on  the  evening  of  the  24th  of  May  the  enemy  capitulated, 
two  thousand  marching  out  and  laying  down  their  arms. 
A  great  quantity  of  guns,  together  with  stores  of  every 
description,  were  found  in  the  different  forts,  and  some 


332  BY  CONDUCT  AND  COURAGE 

small  privateers  and  merchantmen  were  captured  in  the 
offing.  Eight  hundred  seamen  and  three  hundred  and 
twenty  marines  had  been  landed  from  the  ships  of  war, 
and  had  behaved  with  their  usual  courage  and  prompti- 
tude. The  manner,  indeed,  in  which  they  established 
batteries  and  planted  guns  in  places  deemed  almost  im- 
practicable astonished  the  troops,  unused  as  they  were  to 
exercises  demanding  strength  and  skill. 

As  soon  as  St.  Lucia  had  surrendered,  the  expedition 
moved  to  St.  Vincent.  The  defence  here  was  decidedly 
weak,  and  after  some  skirmishing,  the  enemy,  composed 
chiefly  of  negroes  and  Caribs,  capitulated.  Our  loss 
amounted  to  thirty-eight  killed  and  one  hundred  and 
forty-five  wounded.  Grenada  offered  a  comparatively 
slight  resistance. .  The  monster,  Fedon,  who  was  in  com- 
mand there,  massacred  twenty  white  people  who  were  in 
his  power  in  full  view  of  the  British,  who  were  on  the 
plain  below.  He  and  his  men,  however,  were  hotly  pur- 
sued through  the  forest  by  a  detachment  of  German  rifle- 
men, and  the  greater  portion  of  them  killed  without  mercy. 

A  detachment  of  British  and  colonial  troops  from  the 
garrison  of  Port  au  Prince  in  St.  Domingo  proceeded  to 
besiege  the  town  of  Leogane  in  that  island.  Covered  by 
the  guns  of  the  fleet  the  troops  were  landed  in  two  di- 
visions, while  the  Swiftsure,  seventy-four,  cannonaded  the 
town,  and  the  Leviathan  and  Africa  the  forts.  The  place, 
however,  was  too  strong  for  them,  and  at  nightfall  the 
ships  moved  off  to  an  anchorage,  while  those  who  had 
landed  were  withdrawn  on  the  following  morning.  Two 
of  the  frigates  were  so  much  damaged  that  they  were 
compelled  to  return  to  Jamaica  to  refit.  An  attack  was 


333 

next  made  upon  the  fort  of  Bombarde,  which  stood  at  a 
distance  of  fifteen  miles  from  the  coast.  Will  and  a  de- 
tachment from  his  ship  formed  part  of  the  force  engaged. 
The  road  was  extremely  rough,  and  was  blocked  by  fallen 
trees  and  walls  built  across  it.  The  labour  of  getting  the 
cannon  along  was  prodigious. 

"I  must  say,"  Will  said  to  Dimchurch,  who  was  one 
of  the  party,  "I  greatly  prefer  fighting  on  board  to  work 
like  this.  We  have  to  labour  like  slaves  from  early  morn- 
ing till  late  in  the  evening;  but  I  don't  so  much  mind 
that,  as  the  fact  that  at  night  we  have  to  lie  down  with 
only  the  food  that  remains  in  our  haversacks,  and  what 
water  we  may  have  saved,  for  supper.  Now  in  a  fight  at 
sea  one  at  least  gets  as  much  to  drink  as  one  wants." 

"I  quite  agree  with  you,  Mr.  Gilmore.  It's  dog's  work 
without  dog's  food.  I  don't  mind  myself  working  here 
with  a  chopper  eight  or  ten  hours  a  day,  but  I  do  like  a 
good  supper  at  the  end  of  it.  The  worst  of  it  is,  that  when 
it  is  all  over  it  is  the  troops  who  get  all  the  credit,  while 
we  poor  beggars  do  the  greater  part  of  the  work.  The 
soldiers  are  well  enough  in  their  way,  but  they  are  very 
little  good  for  hard  work.  How  do  you  account  for  that, 
sir?" 

"I  can  only  suppose,  Dimchurch,  that  while  they  get  as 
much  food  as  we  do,  they  have  nothing  like  the  same 
amount  of  hard  work  to  do." 

"That's  it,  sir.  Why,  look  at  them  at  Portsmouth !  They 
just  go  out  of  a  morning  and  drill  on  the  common  for  a 
bit,  and  then  they  have  nothing  else  to  do  all  day  but  to 
stroll  about  the  town  and  talk  to  the  girls.  How  can  you 
expect  a  man  to  have  any  muscle  to  speak  of  when  he 


334  BY  CONDUCT  AND  COURAGE 

never  does  a  stroke  of  hard  work  ?  I  don't  say  they  don't 
fight  well,  for  I  own  they  do  their  duty  like  men  in  that 
line ;  but  when  it  comes  to  work,  why,  they  ain't  in  it  with 
a  jack-tar.  I  do  believe  I  could  pull  a  couple  of  them 
over  a  line." 

"I  dare  say  you  could,  Dimchurch,  but  you  must  remem- 
ber that  you  are  much  stronger  than  an  ordinary  seaman." 

"Well,  sir,  I  grant  I  am  stronger  than  usual,  but  I 
should  be  ashamed  of  myself  if  I  could  not  tackle  two  of 
them  soldiers." 

"Yes,  but  don't  forget  they  have  been  cooped  up  on 
board  a  ship  for  a  month,  with  nothing  to  keep  them  in 
health,  and  certainly  no  exercise,  while  you  are  constantly 
doing  hard  work.  If  you  were  to  put  these  men  into 
sailors'  clothes,  and  give  them  sailors'  work  for  six 
months,  they  would  be  just  as  strong  and  useful." 

"Well,  sir,  if  they  are  that  sort  of  men  why  do  they  go 
and  enlist  in  the  army  instead  of  becoming  sailors?  It 
stands  to  reason  that  it  is  because  they  know  that  they 
cannot  do  work." 

"Why,  Dimchurch,  I  have  heard  that  in  the  great  towns 
girls  think  as  much  of  soldiers  as  of  sailors." 

"Well,  that  shows  how  little  they  know  about  them. 
In  a  seaport,  what  girl  would  look  at  a  soldier  if  she  were 
pretty  enough  to  get  a  sailor  for  a  sweetheart?" 

"You  are  a  prejudiced  beggar,"  Will  laughed,  "and  it  is 
of  no  use  arguing  with  you.  If  you  had  gone  as  a  soldier 
instead  of  taking  to  the  sea  you  would  think  just  the  other 
way." 

On  the  next  morning  the  march  was  renewed,  and  in  the 
evening  they  reached  the  fort.  They  had  had  several 


ON   BOARD   THE   <s JASON"  335 

severe  skirmishes  during  the  day,  losing  eight  killed  and 
twenty-two  wounded,  but  the  garrison,  consisting  of  three 
hundred,  surrendered  without  further  resistance  as  soon 
as  the  place  was  surrounded,  and  the  sailors  then  rejoined 
their  ships. 

"Well,  I  am  mighty  glad  I  am  back  on  board,"  Dim- 
church  said  to  Will  the  evening  they  re-embarked.  "This 
marching,  and  chopping  trees,  and  being  shot  at  from 
ambushes,  doesn't  suit  me.  There  is  nothing  manly  or 
straightforward  about  it.  Hand  to  hand  and  cutlass  to 
cutlass  is  what  I  call  a  man's  work." 

"That  is  all  very  well,  Dimchurch,  but  though  you  may 
capture  ships  you  will  never  get  possession  of  islands  or 
colonies  in  that  way.  If  you  want  them  you  must  land 
and  fight  for  them." 

"Yes,  sir,  that  is  all  very  good,  but  it  seems  to  me  that 
the  hard  work  of  making  batteries  and  mounting  guns 
falls  on  the  sailor,  while  the  soldier  gets  all  the  credit. 
It  is  not  our  admiral  who  sends  the  despatches,  it  is  the 
general.  He  may  speak  a  few  good  words  for  the  sailors, 
as  a  man  speaks  up  for  a  dog,  but  all  the  credit  of  the 
fighting,  and  the  surrender,  and  all  that  business  goes  to 
the  soldiers.  The  sooner  we  sail  away  from  here,  and  do 
some  fighting  nearer  home,  where  there  are  no  soldiers, 
and  where  the  sailors  get  their  due,  the  better  pleased  I 
shall  be." 

"Well,  Dimchurch,  I  hope  our  turn  out  here  is  nearly 
finished.  We  may  have  to  take  part  in  a  few  more  attacks 
on  French  possessions,  but  as  soon  as  that  work  is  over  I 
have  great  hopes  that  we  shall  get  sailing  orders  for  home 
again." 


336  BY  CONDUCT  AND  COUEAGE 

Indeed,  late  in  August  a  fast  cruiser  arrived  with  orders 
that  the  Jason  was  at  once  to  return  to  Brest  and  join  the 
Channel  fleet.  To  the  great  delight  of  everyone  the  wind 
continued  favourable  throughout  the  whole  voyage,  and 
after  an  exceptionally  speedy  passage  they  joined  Admiral 
Bridport,  who  was  cruising  off  Ushant  on  the  look-out  for 
the  French  fleet  that  was  preparing  for  the  invasion  of 
Ireland. 

The  French  fleet,  under  Admiral  Morard-de-Galles,  got 
under  weigh  from  Brest  on  26th  December,  1796.  It  con- 
sisted of  seventeen  ships  of  the  line,  thirteen  frigates,  six 
corvettes,  seven  transports,  and  a  powder-ship,  forty-four 
sail  in  all,  conveying  eight  thousand  troops  under  the 
command  of  Generals  Grouchy,  Borin,  and  Humbert. 
Misfortune,  however,  dogged  the  fleet  from  the  very  com- 
mencement, for  the  Seduisant,  a  seventy-four-gun  battle- 
ship, got  on  shore  shortly  after  leaving  Brest,  and  out  of 
thirteen  hundred  seamen  and  soldiers  on  board  six  hun- 
dred and  eighty  were  drowned. 

They  were  noticed  by  Vice-admiral  Colpoy's  fleet,  who 
sent  off  two  frigates  to  warn  Lord  Bridport,  and  after 
chasing  the  French  for  some  distance  himself,  sailed  for 
Falmouth  to  report  the  setting  out  of  the  expedition. 

Admiral  Bouvet,  with  thirty-two  sail,  managed  to  reach 
the  mouth  of  Bantry  Bay,  but  the  weather  was  so  tem- 
pestuous that  he  was  unable  to  land  his  troops.  After 
struggling  for  some  days  against  this  boisterous  weather, 
the  fleet  scattered  and  the  majority  of  the  ships  returned 
to  Brest.  The  rest  reached  the  coast  of  Ireland,  but  not 
finding  the  main  portion  of  their  fleet  there,  they  returned 
to  France. 


ST.   VINCENT   AND   CAMPERDOWN  337 

The  failure  of  the  expedition  was  as  complete  as  was 
that  of  the  Spanish  Armada,  and  was  due  greatly  to  the 
same  cause.  Out  of  the  forty-four  ships  that  sailed  from 
Brest  only  thirty-one  managed  to  return  to  France.  The 
British  frigates,  by  the  vigilance  they  displayed,  had 
done  good  service,  cutting  off  four  transports  and  three 
ships  of  war;  but  the  stormy  weather  had  dispersed  the 
expedition,  and  was  accountable  for  the  loss  of  two  battle- 
ships, three  frigates,  and  a  transport.  It  was  curious  that 
although  Lord  Bridport's  fleet  was  constantly  patrolling 
the  Channel  during  this  time,  the  two  fleets  never  came  in 
contact. 


CHAPTER   XVIII 

ST.   VINCENT  AND   CAMPERDOWN' 

ON  the  19th  of  January,  1797,  Lord  Bridport  detached 
Rear-admiral  Parker  with  five  battle-ships — among 
them  the  Jason — and  one  frigate,  to  Gibraltar,  and  on  the 
6th  of  February  they  joined  Admiral  Sir  John  Jervis  off 
Cape  St.  Vincent. 

They  were  cruising  along  the  Portuguese  coast  when, 
on  the  morning  of  the  13th  of  February,  Nelson  brought 
Admiral  Jervis  the  long-expected  news  of  the  approach 
of  the  Spanish  fleet.  Its  exact  strength  he  had  not  dis- 
covered, but  it  was  known  to  exceed  twenty  sail  of  the 
line,  while  Jervis  had  but  fifteen,  two  of  which  had  been 
greatly  injured  by  a  collision  the  night  before.  The 


338  BY  CONDUCT  AND  COURAGE 

repairs,  however,  were  quickly  executed,  and  they  fell 
into  their  positions.  Jervis  made  the  signal  to  pre- 
pare for  action.  During  the  night  the  signal  guns  of  the 
Spaniards  were  heard,  and  before  daylight  a  Portuguese 
frigate  came  along  and  reported  that  they  were  about  four 
leagues  to  windward.  At  that  time  the  fleet  were  south- 
west of  Cape  St.  Vincent.  The  Spaniards,  who  had 
hitherto  been  prevented  by  an  adverse  wind  from  getting 
into  Cadiz,  were  ready  to  meet  us,  not  knowing  that  the 
British  admiral  had  been  reinforced,  and  believing  that  he 
had  but  some  ten  ships. 

The  wind,  however,  changed  during  the  night,  and,  act- 
ing in  strict  obedience  to  his  orders,  the  Spanish  com- 
mander-in-chief  determined  to  set  sail  for  Cadiz.  When 
day  broke,  his  fleet  was  seen  about  five  miles  off,  the  main 
body  huddled  together  in  a  confused  group,  with  one 
squadron  to  leeward.  It  was  then  seen  what  a  formidable 
fleet  lay  before  us.  The  admiral's  flag  was  carried  by 
the  Santissima-Trinidaddj  one  hundred  and  thirty,  and  he 
had  with  him  six  three-deckers  of  one  hundred  and  twelve 
guns  each,  two  of  eighty,  and  eighteen  seventy-fours.  Our 
fleet  had  scarcely  half  the  ships  and  guns.  We  had  two 
ships  of  one  hundred  guns,  three  of  ninety-eight,  one  of 
ninety,  eight  seventy-fours,  and  a  sixty-four.  There  was, 
however,  no  comparison  between  the  men.  Our  own  were 
for  the  most  part  tried  and  trained  sailors,  while  a  con- 
siderable proportion  of  the  Spaniards  were  almost  raw 
levies. 

The  morning  of  the  14th  February  was  foggy,  and 
neither  the  number  nor  the  size  of  our  ships  could  be 
made  out  by  the  Spaniards  until  we  were  within  a  mile 


ST.   VINCENT   AND   CAMPERDOWN  339 

of  them.  Then,  as  midday  approached  and  the  fog  cleared 
off,  they  saw  Jervis  bearing  down  upon  them  in  two  lines. 
His  object  was  to  separate  the  Spanish  squadron  to  lee- 
ward from  the  main  body,  and  in  this  he  completely  suc- 
ceeded. 

The  Culloden  led  the  way,  and  the  greater  part  of  the 
fleet  followed,  opening  a  tremendous  fire  as  they  came  up 
with  the  Spaniards,  and  receiving  their  broadsides  in 
return.  The  Spanish  vice-admiral  attempted  to  cut 
through  the  British  line,  but  was  thwarted  by  the  rapid 
advance  of  the  Victory,  which  forced  the  admiral's  ship, 
the  Principe  de  Asturias,  to  tack  close  under  her  lee, 
pouring  in  a  tremendous  raking  broadside  as  she  did  so. 
Fortunately  at  this  moment  Commodore  Nelson  was  in 
the  rear,  and  had  a  better  view  of  the  movements  of  the 
enemy  than  had  the  commander-in-chief.  He  perceived 
that  the  Spanish  admiral  was  beginning  to  bear  up  before 
the  wind,  with  the  object  of  uniting  the  main  body  with 
the  second  division.  Accordingly  he  ordered  his  ship  the 
Captain  to  wear. 

Up  to  this  time  she  had  hardly  fired  a  gun,  but  this 
movement  gave  her  the  lead  of  the  fleet,  and  brought  her 
at  once  into  action  with  the  enemy.  In  a  few  minutes 
she  was  attacked  by  no  fewer  than  four  first-raters  and 
two  third-raters.  The  Culloden,  however,  bore  down  with 
all  speed  to  her  assistance,  and  some  time  afterwards  the 
Blenheim  came  up  to  take  a  share  in  the  fight.  Two  of 
the  Spanish  ships  dropped  astern  to  escape  the  tremen- 
dous fire  of  the  three  British  seventy-fours,  but  they  only 
fell  in  with  the  Excellent  coming  up  to  support  the 
Captain,  and  she  poured  so  tremendous  a  fire  into  them 


340  BY  CONDUCT  AND  COURAGE 

both  that  one  of  them  struck  at  once.  She  left  the  other 
to  her  own  devices  and  pressed  on  to  join  Nelson,  who 
greatly  needed  help,  for  the  Captain  was  now  little  better 
than  a  wreck. 

Her  chief  antagonist  at  this  time  was  the  8 an  Nicholas. 
Into  that  ship  she  poured  a  tremendous  fire,  and  then 
passed  on  to  the  San  Isidro  and  Santissima-Trinidada, 
with  which  the  Captain  had  been  engaged  from  the  begin- 
ning. The  fire  of  the  Excellent  had  completed  the  work 
done  by  the  Captain,  and  the  San  Nicholas  and  the  San 
Josef  had  collided  with  each  other.  Nelson,  being  in  so 
crippled  a  state  that  he  could  no  longer  take  an  active 
part  in  the  action,  laid  his  ship  alongside  the  San  Nicholas 
and  carried  her  by  boarding;  and  after  this  was  done  the 
crew  crossed  to  the  San  Josef,  and  carried  her  also. 
Other  prizes  had  been  taken  elsewhere;  the  Salvador  Del 
Mundo  and  Santissima-Trinidada  surrendered,  as  did  the 
Solerano.  The  Santissima-Trinidada,  however,  was  towed 
away  by  one  of  the  frigates.  Evening  was  closing  in,  and 
as  the  Spanish  fleet  still  greatly  outnumbered  the  British, 
Jervis  made  the  signal  to  discontinue  the  action,  and  the 
next  morning  the  fleets  sailed  in  different  directions,  the 
British  carrying  their  four  prizes  with  them.  Considering 
the  desperate  nature  of  the  fighting  the  British  loss  was 
extraordinarily  small,  only  seventy-three  being  killed  and 
two  hundred  and  twenty-seven  wounded.  Of  these  nearly 
a  third  belonged  to  the  Captain,  upon  which  the  brunt  of 
the  fight  had  fallen.  For  this  victory  Admiral  Jervis  was 
made  an  earl,  and  two  admirals  baronets.  Nelson  might 
have  had  a  baronetcy,  but  he  preferred  the  ribbon  of  the 
Bath.  Also,  he  shortly  afterwards  was  promoted  to  the 


ST.  VINCENT  AND  CAMPERDOWN  341 

rank  of  Rear-admiral.  Captain  Calder  received  the  ribbon 
of  the  Bath,  and  all  the  first  lieutenants  were  promoted. 

The  captain  of  the  Jason  had  earned  golden  opinions 
from  his  crew  by  the  manner  in  which  he  had  fought  his 
vessel  and  the  careless  indifference  he  had  shown  to  the 
enemy's  fire  as  he  walked  up  and  down  on  the  quarter- 
deck issuing  what  orders  were  necessary.  Their  losses  had 
not  been  heavy,  but  among  them,  to  Will's  deep  regret,  the 
first  lieutenant  had  been  killed  by  a  cannon-ball. 

"I  am  grieved  indeed,"  the  captain  said  the  next  morn- 
ing to  Will,  "at  the  death  of  Mr.  Somerville.  He  was  an 
excellent  officer  and  a  most  worthy  man.  It  is,  however, 
a  consolation  to  me  that  I  have  a  successor  so  worthy  to 
take  his  place.  Since  we  have  sailed  together,  Mr.  Gil- 
more,  I  have  always  been  gratified  by  the  manner  in  which 
you  have  done  your  duty,  and  by  the  skill  you  have  shown 
in  handling  the  ship  during  your  watch.  It  is  a  great 
satisfaction  to  me  that  I  have  so  good  an  officer  for  my 
first  lieutenant." 

It  was  but  a  few  months  after  the  battle  of  St.  Vincent 
that  a  greater  danger  threatened  England  than  she  had 
ever  before  been  exposed  to.  The  seamen  in  the  navy 
had  long  been  seething  with  discontent,  and  all  their  peti- 
tions had  been  neglected,  their  remonstrances  treated  as 
of  no  account. 

Rendered  desperate,  they  at  last  determined  to  mutiny, 
and  the  first  outbreak  occurred  on  the  15th  April  in  the 
Channel  fleet,  which  was  at  the  time  anchored  at  Spithead. 
On  Admiral  Lord  Bridport  giving  the  signal  to  weigh 
anchor,  the  seamen  of  the  flagship,  instead  of  proceeding 
to  their  stations,  ran  up  the  rigging  and  gave  three  cheers, 


342  BY  CONDUCT  AND  COUKAGE 

and  the  crews  of  the  rest  of  the  ships  at  once  did  the  same. 
The  officers  attempted  to  induce  the  men  to  return  to  their 
duty,  but  in  vain.  The  next  day  two  delegates  from  each 
ship  met  on  the  Queen  Charlotte,  the  flagship,  to  delib- 
erate, and  the  day  after  all  the  men  swore  to  stand  by 
their  leaders,  and  such  officers  as  had  rendered  themselves 
obnoxious  to  the  men  were  put  on  shore. 

The  delegates  then  drew  up  two  petitions,  one  to  Parlia- 
ment the  other  to  the  Admiralty,  asking  that  their  wages 
should  be  increased — they  had  remained  at  the  same  point 
since  Charles  II  was  king, — that  the  pound  should  be 
reckoned  at  sixteen  ounces  instead  of  fourteen,  and  that 
the  food  should  be  of  better  quality.  Further,  that  vege- 
tables should  be  occasionally  served  out,  that  the  sick 
should  be  better  attended  and  their  medical  comforts  not 
embezzled;  and,  finally,  that  on  returning  from  sea  the 
men  should  be  allowed  a  short  leave  to  visit  their  friends. 

On  the  18th  a  committee  of  the  Board  of  Admiralty 
arrived  at  Portsmouth,  and  in  answer  to  the  petition 
agreed  to  ask  the  king  to  propose  to  Parliament  an  in- 
crease of  wages,  and  also  to  grant  them  certain  other 
privileges;  but  these  terms  the  sailors  would  not  accept, 
and  expressed  their  determination  not  to  weigh  anchor 
till  their  full  demands  were  granted. 

The  committee  now  sent,  through  Lord  Bridport,  a 
letter  to  the  seamen  granting  still  further  concessions, 
and  promising  pardon  to  all  concerned;  but  the  sailors 
answered  expressing  their  thanks  for  what  had  been 
granted,  but  reiterating  their  demands. 

On  the  21st  Vice-admirals  Sir  Allen  Gardner  and  Col- 
poys  and  Rear-admiral  Pole  went  on  board  the  Queen 


ST.   VINCENT   AND   CAMPERDOWN  343 

Charlotte  to  confer,  but  they  were  informed  that  until  the 
reforms  were  sanctioned  by  the  king  and  Parliament  they 
would  not  be  accepted  as  final.  This  so  angered  Admiral 
Gardner  that  he  seized  one  of  the  delegates  by  the  collar 
and  swore  he  would  hang  the  lot,  and  every  fifth  man  in 
the  fleet.  The  delegates  at  once  returned  to  their  ships, 
and  the  seamen  of  the  fleet  proceeded  to  load  the  guns. 
Watches  were  set  as  at  sea,  and  the  ships  were  put  into  a 
complete  state  of  defence. 

On  the  22 d  Lord  Bridport,  having  received  a  letter 
from  the  mutineers  explaining  the  cause  of  the  steps  they 
had  taken,  went  on  board,  and  after  a  short  deliberation 
his  offers  were  accepted,  and  the  men  returned  to  their 
duty. 

The  fleet  was  detained  at  St.  Helens  by  a  foul  wind 
until  the  7th  of  May,  when  news  was  received  that  the 
French  were  preparing  to  sail.  Lord  Bridport  made  the 
signal  to  weigh,  but  the  crews  again  refused  to  obey  orders, 
alleging  that  the  silence  that  Parliament  had  observed 
respecting  their  grievances  led  them  to  suspect  that  the 
promised  redress  was  to  be  withheld. 

For  four  days  matters  continued  in  the  same  state,  but 
on  the  14th  Admiral  Lord  Howe  arrived  from  London 
with  full  powers  to  settle  all  disputes  with  an  Act  of  Par- 
liament which  had  been  passed  on  the  9th,  and  a  procla- 
mation granting  the  king's  pardon  to  all  who  should  return 
at  once  to  their  duty. 

After  various  discussions  the  men  agreed  to  the  terms, 
and  on  the  16th  May,  all  matters  having  been  amicably 
settled,  Lord  Bridport  put  to  sea  with  his  fleet  of  fifteen 
sail  of  the  line. 


344  BY  CONDUCT  AND  COURAGE 

Notwithstanding  these  concessions  the  sailors  of  the 
ships  lying  at  the  Nore  broke  into  mutiny  on  the  20th 
of  May,  their  ringleader  being  a  seaman  of  the  name  of 
Richard  Parker,  one  of  a  class  of  men  denominated  sea- 
lawyers.  The  delegates  drew  up  a  statement  of  demands 
containing  eight  articles,  most  of  which  were  perfectly 
impossible,  and  the  Admiralty  replied  by  pointing  out  the 
concessions  the  Legislature  had  recently  made,  and  refus- 
ing to  accede  to  any  more,  but  offering  to  pardon  the  men 
if  they  would  at  once  return  to  their  duty.  The  muti- 
neers refused,  and  hoisted  the  red  flag.  They  landed  at 
Sheerness  and  marched  through  the  streets,  and  in  many 
ways  went  to  greater  lengths  than  their  comrades  at  Spit- 
head.  They  even  flogged  and  otherwise  ill-treated  some 
of  the  officers. 

This  outbreak  now  assumed  the  most  alarming  propor- 
tions. Eleven  ships  belonging  to  the  North  Sea  fleet,  on 
the  way  to  blockade  the  Texel,  turned  back  and  joined 
Parker,  and  the  greatest  alarm  was  felt  in  London,  the 
Funds  falling  to  an  unheard-of  price.  The  Government 
acted,  however,  with  vigour;  buoys  were  removed,  and  the 
forts  were  manned  and  the  men  ordered  to  open  fire 
should  the  fleet  sail  up  the  river.  Bills  were  rushed 
through  Parliament  in  two  days,  authorizing  the  utmost 
penalties  on  the  mutineers  and  on  all  who  aided  them. 

This  had  the  desired  effect,  and  early  in  June  the  fleets 
at  Portsmouth  and  Plymouth  disavowed  all  complicity  with 
Parker,  and  two  ships — the  Leopard  and  Repulse — hauled 
down  the  red  flag  and  retreated  up  the  Thames,  being 
fired  on  by  the  rest  of  the  fleet.  The  example  was,  how- 
ever, contagious,  and  ship  after  ship  deserted  until,  on  the 


ST.   VINCENT   AND   CAMPERDOWN  345 

14th,  the  crew  of  the  Sandwich  handed  over  Parker  to 
the  authorities. 

He  was  tried,  convicted,  and  hanged  on  board  that  ship 
on  the  29th  of  June.  Some  of  the  other  leaders  were 
also  hanged,  some  were  flogged  through  the  fleet,  and  some 
sent  to  prison. 

The  mutiny  was  not  confined  to  the  ships  on  the  home 
stations,  but  it  never  became  serious  at  any  point,  and  a 
display  of  timely  severity  soon  brought  matters  back  to 
their  usual  condition  of  discipline  and  obedience  to 
orders. 

A  mutiny  of  a  different  character,  as  it  was  caused  by 
the  tyranny  of  the  captain,  and  had  very  different  results, 
took  place  in  the  West  Indies. 

On  the  night  of  the  21st  of  September  the  thirty-two- 
gun  frigate  Hermione  was  cruising  off  Porto  Eico.  Its 
captain,  Pigot,  was  known  to  be  one  of  the  most  harsh 
and  brutal  officers  in  the  navy.  On  the  previous  day,  while 
the  crew  were  reefing  topsails,  he  had  called  out  that  he 
would  flog  the  last  man  down.  The  poor  fellows,  knowing 
well  that  he  would  keep  his  word,  hurried  down ;  and  two 
of  them,  in  trying  to  jump  over  those  below  them,  missed 
their  footing  and  were  killed.  When  this  was  reported 
to  the  captain  he  simply  said:  "Throw  the  lubbers  over- 
board." All  the  other  men  were  severely  reprimanded. 
The  result  of  this,  the  last  of  a  succession  of  similar  acts 
of  tyranny,  was  that  the  crew  broke  into  mutiny.  The 
first  lieutenant  went  to  enquire  into  the  disturbance,  but 
he  was  killed  and  thrown  overboard.  The  captain,  hear- 
ing the  tumult,  ran  on  deck,  but  he  suffered  the  same  fate 
as  his  second  in  command.  The  mutineers  then  pro- 


346  BY   CONDUCT   AND   COUEAGE 

ceeded  to  murder  eight  other  officers,,  two  lieutenants,  the 
purser,  the  surgeon,  the  captain's  clerk,  one  midshipman, 
the  boatswain,  and  the  lieutenant  of  marines.  The  master, 
a  midshipman  and  the  gunner  were  the  only  officers  spared. 
They  then  carried  the  ship  into  the  port  of  La  Guayra, 
representing  to  the  Spanish  governor  that  they  had  turned 
their  officers  adrift.  The  real  circumstances  of  the  case 
were  explained  to  the  governor  by  the  British  admiral,  but 
he  insisted  upon  detaining  the  vessel  and  fitting  her  out 
as  a  Spanish  frigate. 

Many  of  the  perpetrators  of  this  horrible  crime  were 
afterwards  captured  and  executed.  Had  they  contented 
themselves  with  wreaking  their  vengeance  on  their  cap- 
tain, some  excuse  might  have  been  offered  for  them  when 
the  catalogue  of  his  brutalities  was  published,  but  nothing 
could  be  said  in  condonation  of  the  cold-blooded  murder 
of  the  other  officers,  including  even  a  midshipman  and  the 
young  captain's  clerk,  neither  of  whom  could  have  in  any 
way  influenced  their  commander's  conduct. 

The  Hermione,  however,  was  of  but  little  use  to  the 
Spaniards.  Sir  Hyde  Parker,  in  October,  1799,  hearing 
that  she  was  about  to  sail  from  Porto  Cabello,  in  Havana, 
detached  the  Surprise,  under  Captain  Hamilton,  to  at- 
tempt to  obtain  possession  of  her.  On  arriving  off  Porto 
Cabello  he  found  the  Hermione,  which  was  manned  by 
four  hundred  men,  moored  between  two  strong  batteries 
at  the  entrance  to  the  harbour,  but,  nothing  daunted, 
Captain  Hamilton  resolved  to  cut  her  out.  At  eight 
o'clock  in  the  evening  he  pushed  off  from  the  Surprise 
with  all  his  boats,  manned  by  one  hundred  officers  and 
men. 


AT   LAST   HER   CAPTAIN    WAS   COMPELLED  TO   STRIKE, 


ST.   VINCENT  AND   CAMPERDOWN  347 

Undeterred  by  a  heavy  fire,  the  boats  made  for  the  Her- 
mione  and  were  soon  alongside.  The  main  attack  at  the 
gangways  was  beaten  off,  but  the  captain,  with  his  cutter's 
crew,  made  good  his  footing  on  the  forecastle,  and  here 
he  was  joined  by  the  crew  of  the  gig  and  some  of  the  men 
from  the  jolly-boat.  He  then  fought  his  way  to  the 
quarter-deck,  where  he  was  soon  reinforced  by  the  crews 
of  the  boats  that  had  at  first  been  repulsed.  In  a  very 
short  time,  after  some  desperate  fighting,  the  Hermione 
was  captured.  The  cables  were  now  cut  and  the  sails 
hoisted,  and  under  a  heavy  fire  from  the  batteries  the 
frigate  was  brought  off,  though  much  damaged  both  in 
rigging  and  hull.  A  few  days  later  she  anchored  in  Port 
Royal. 

This  feat  stands  perhaps  unparalleled  in  naval  history 
for  its  audacity  and  success.  The  victors  had  only  twelve 
wounded;  the  enemy  lost  one  hundred  and  nineteen  killed 
and  ninety- seven  wounded.  Captain  Hamilton  was 
knighted  for  this  achievement,  the  legislature  of  Jamaica 
presented  him  with  a  sword  valued  at  three  hundred 
guineas,  and  on  his  arrival  in  England  after  his  exchange, 
for  he  was  taken  prisoner  on  his  way  home,  the  common 
council  of  London  voted  him  the  freedom  of  the  city. 
He  was,  however,  much  injured  in  the  attack,  and  was 
to  the  end  of  his  life  under  medical  treatment. 

After  the  battle  of  St.  Vincent  the  Jason  required  some 
repairs  to  her  hull,  but  as  her  spars  were  uninjured  she 
was  ordered  by  Admiral  Jervis  to  proceed  to  Portsmouth 
with  despatches.  Here,  to  Will's  great  joy,  he  was  con- 
firmed in  his  position  as  first  lieutenant.  He  was  unable 
to  get  leave,  as  it  was  found  the  repairs  would  take  but  a 


348  BY  CONDUCT  AND  COURAGE 

short  time,  and  after  ten  days'  stay  in  port  the  Jason 
sailed  to  join  Lord  Bridport's  fleet.  On  doing  so,  she  was 
at  once  despatched  to  reinforce  the  North  Sea  fleet  under 
Admiral  Duncan,  then  blockading  the  Texel. 

It  was  while  engaged  in  this  monotonous  work  that  the 
news  came  of  Admiral  Nelson's  disastrous  attack  on 
Santa  Cruz.  The  expedition  was  a  complete  failure,  one 
hundred  and  forty-one  being  killed  or  drowned,  and  one 
hundred  and  five  wounded  or  missing.  Among  the 
wounded  was  Admiral  Nelson  himself,  who  lost  his  arm. 

The  news  of  the  mutinies  taking  place  at  Spithead  and 
the  Nore  was  a  source  of  great  anxiety  to  the  officers,  but 
the  men  were  so  attached  to  them  that  there  was  no  real 
cause  for  uneasiness  with  regard  to  their  own  ship,  and 
when  the  eleven  ships  of  Duncan's  fleet  joined  the  muti- 
neers at  the  Nore,  the  Jason  was  one  of  the  few  that 
remained  with  the  admiral. 

During  the  equinoctial  gales  many  of  the  ships  were 
so  badly  strained  that  Admiral  Duncan  returned  to  Yar- 
mouth Koads  to  gather  and  repair  his  fleet,  leaving  the 
Jason  and  two  other  ships  to  watch  the  enemy.  De  Winter 
lost  not  a  moment  in  taking  advantage  of  his  absence, 
and  on  the  7th  of  October  sailed  out  with  his  whole  fleet, 
chasing  the  watch  vessels  before  him.  On  their  way,  how- 
ever, they  met  a  squadron  under  Captain  Trollope,  con- 
sisting of  Duncan's  ships  which  had  been  refitted.  The 
Dutch  fleet,  on  seeing  them,  thought  that  the  whole  British 
fleet  was  behind,  and  not  at  the  time  wishing  to  engage, 
went  about  and  steered  again  for  the  Texel.  On  the  9th 
the  Active  came  in  sight  off  Yarmouth  Eoads  with  the 
signal  flying  that  the  enemy  were  at  sea.  At  once  a  gen- 


ST.   VINCENT   AND   CAMPERDOWN  349 

eral  chase  was  ordered,  and  by  the  time  the  Active  joined 
them  the  whole  fleet  was  under  way.  Her  captain  was 
hailed  and  ordered  to  guide  the  fleet  to  the  precise  spot 
where  he  had  last  seen  the  enemy. 

Captain  Trollope  had,  as  soon  as  the  Dutch  fleet  went 
about,  started  in  chase  of  them,  and  kept  them  in  sight 
until  they  approached  the  Texel,  when  he  steered  to  meet 
Admiral  Duncan.  He  was  therefore  able  to  give  the 
exact  position  of  the  enemy,  and  at  once  the  fleet  sailed 
towards  them.  On  the  morning  of  the  llth  October,  1797, 
the  admiral  came  in  sight  of  the  enemy  about  nine  miles 
from  shore  and  nearly  opposite  the  village  of  Camper- 
down.  The  fleet,  however,  was  greatly  scattered  owing 
to  the  different  speeds  of  the  ships.  De  Winter,  as  soon 
as  he  saw  the  British  coming,  got  up  his  anchors  and 
made  for  shore,  hoping  that  he  might  be  able  to  get  so 
close  in  among  its  shoals  and  sand-banks,  which  were 
much  better  known  to  him  than  to  his  antagonists,  as  to 
deter  Duncan  from  pursuing  him.  He  was,  above  all 
things,  anxious  to  avoid  action;  not  so  much  because  his 
fleet  was  slightly  inferior  to  the  British,  as  because  his 
instructions  enjoined  him  to  regard  his  junction  with  the 
French  at  Brest  as  his  chief  object. 

The  British  admiral,  seeing  his  arrangements  and  divin- 
ing his  object,  pressed  on,  regardless  of  the  scattered  state 
of  his  fleet,  and  made  the  signal  for  each  ship  to  attack 
as  she  came  up.  Another  signal  intimated  that  he  should 
attempt  to  break  the  enemy's  line,  so  as  to  get  between 
it  and  the  land.  But  this  signal  was  not  generally  seen 
by  the  fleet.  It  was,  however,  seen  and  acted  upon  by  the 
second  in  command,  Admiral  Onslow,  in  the  Monarch., 


350  BY  CONDUCT  AND  COURAGE 

who  soon  after  led  the  larboard  division  through  the  Dutch 
line,  three  ships  from  the  rear,  and  then  closely  engaged 
the  Jupiter.  Duncan's  own  ship,  the  Venerable,  the  lead- 
ing ship  of  the  starboard  division,  marked  out  the  Vryhide, 
De  Winter's  flagship,  as  his  own  antagonist. 

The  Dutch  ship  States-general,  the  flagship  of  their 
rear-admiral,  seeing  his  design,  pressed  so  close  up  to  his 
chief  that  the  British  admiral  was  compelled  to  change 
his  course  and  pass  astern  of  her;  but  as  he  did  so  he 
poured  so  terrible  a  fire  into  her  stern  that  she  was  glad 
to  fall  back  and  leave  the  Venerable  free  to  attack  the 
Vryhide.  Others  of  our  ships  followed  the  example  of 
their  chief,  breaking  the  Dutch  line  at  several  points.  At 
one  o'clock  the  battle  became  general,  and  was  carried  on 
with  unsurpassed  courage  on  both  sides.  The  two  biggest 
Dutch  frigates,  which  carried  as  heavy  guns  as  the  British 
line-of-battle  ships,  crept  forward  into  the  fight  and  fought 
gallantly,  the  Mars  raking  the  Venerable  severely  while 
she  was  engaged  with  no  fewer  than  three  Dutch  line-of- 
battle  ships. 

The  crew  of  the  Venerable  had  been  particularly  anxious 
to  fight,  their  ship  having  been  for  the  past  five  months 
engaged  in  the  dreary  work  of  blockading  the  Texel ;  and 
when  they  had  seen  the  Dutch  with  their  topsails  bent, 
as  if  intending  to  come  out,  they  had  offered  to  advance 
into  the  narrow  entrance  to  the  Texel,  and  in  that  position 
stop  the  way  against  the  whole  fleet,  or  at  least  fight  their 
ship  till  she  sank.  Now  they  proved  that  their  offer  had 
been  no  empty  boast,  for,  although  fighting  against  over- 
whelming odds,  they  stuck  to  their  guns  with  unexampled 
devotion. 


ST.   VINCENT   AND   CAMPERDOWN  351 

More  than  once  every  flag  they  hoisted  was  shot  away, 
and  at  last  one  of  the  sailors  went  aloft  and  nailed  the 
admiral's  colours  to  the  stump  of  the  main-topgallant 
mast.  The  Vryhide  also  fought  with  desperate  courage. 
Other  British  ships,  however,  came  up,  and  the  disparity 
in  numbers  turned  the  other  way.  The  Ardent  attacked 
her  on  the  other  side,  and  the  Triumph  and  Director 
poured  a  raking  fire  along  her  decks.  One  after  another 
her  masts  fell,  and  the  wreck  rendered  half  her  guns  un- 
workable. Her  crew  were  swept  away  until  De  Winter 
was  left  alone  on  the  quarter-deck,  while  below  there  were 
hardly  enough  men  left  to  man  the  pumps.  Then  the 
gallant  admiral  with  his  own  hand  hauled  down  his 
colours,  having  fought  to  the  admiration  of  the  whole 
British  fleet.  The  States-general,  almost  disabled  by  the 
fruitless  attempt  to  foul  the  Venerable,  maintained  a  vig- 
orous conflict  for  some  time  against  a  succession  of  adver- 
saries, during  which  she  lost  above  three  hundred  men 
killed  and  wounded,  until  at  last  her  captain  was  com- 
pelled to  strike.  No  one,  however,  attempted  to  take 
possession  of  her,  and,  gradually  dropping  astern  until 
clear  of  both  fleets,  she  rehoisted  her  colours  and  made 
off  to  the  Texel. 

Ship  after  ship  struck,  and  of  the  whole  Dutch  fleet 
but  six  ships  of  the  line  and  two  frigates  managed  to  reach 
the  Texel,  and  this  was  only  due  to  the  fact  that  several 
of  the  Dutch  vessels,  knowing  that  the  orders  had  been 
that  they  were  not  to  fight,  stood  aloof  and  disregarded 
their  admiral's  signal  to  engage.  The  entire  casualties 
among  our  men  exceeded  a  thousand.  Many  of  the  ships 
were  completely  riddled  by  shot,  and  on  some  of  them 


352  BY  CONDUCT  AND  COURAGE 

the  men  were  employed  day  and  night  at  the  pumps  to 
keep  them  afloat  till  they  could  cross  the  Channel  to  our 
own  harbours.  Two  seventy-fours,  five  fifty-fours,  two 
gun-ships,  and  two  frigates  remained  in  our  hands,  but 
all  were  so  battered  that  not  one  of  them  could  ever  be 
made  fit  for  service.  The  two  fleets  were  nearly  equal  in 
strength,  the  British  being  about  one-twelfth  the  stronger. 
Some  of  the  Dutch  ships  took  no  share  in  the  action,  but 
the  same  is  true  of  the  British.  Some  of  them  arrived 
too  late,  the  hazy  weather  having  prevented  the  signals 
of  the  Venerable  from  being  seen  by  them.  For  one  of 
them,  however,  the  Agincourt,  no  excuse  could  be  found, 
so  her  captain  was  tried  by  court-martial  and  declared 
incapable  of  serving  in  the  navy  for  the  future. 

The  Jason  had  taken  her  share  in  the  battle.  She  had 
at  once  placed  herself  alonside  the  Brutus,  a  battle-ship 
of  the  same  size  as  herself.  All  the  afternoon  the  duel 
was  continued,  and  both  ships  lost  some  masts  and  spars 
and  had  their  hulls  completely  shattered.  It  was  not 
until  the  engagement  had  almost  ceased  elsewhere  that 
the  enemy  hauled  down  their  colours.  The  battle  was  a 
desperate  one,  and  Will  had  felt  the  strain  greatly;  there 
was  comparatively  little  for  him  to  do,  for  both  ships 
sailed  along  side  by  side,  and  there  was  no  attempt  at 
manoeuvring.  He  had,  therefore,  simply  to  move  about, 
encouraging  the  sailors  and  directing  their  fire.  So  in- 
cessant was  the  cannonade  that  it  was  with  difficulty  he 
could  make  his  orders  heard,  and,  cool  as  he  was,  he  was 
almost  confused  by  the  terrible  din  that  went  on  around. 
It  was  found,  after  the  Brutus  surrendered,  that  her  loss 
had  been  one  hundred  and  twenty  killed  and  wounded, 


ST.    VINCENT   AND    CAMPERDOWN  353 

while  on  board  the  Jason  little  over  half  that  number  had 
suffered. 

As  soon  as  the  prize  surrendered,  parties  were  put  on 
board  to  take  possession,  while  the  rest  of  the  men  were 
engaged  in  attending  to  their  own  and  the  Dutch  wounded. 
The  next  day  jury-masts  were  got  up,  and  the  Jason,,  with 
her  prize  in  tow,  sailed  with  the  rest  of  the  fleet  for  Eng- 
land. When  they  arrived  at  Sheerness  the  Jason  was 
found  to  require  a  complete  refit.  The  crew  were  there- 
fore ordered  to  be  paid  off,  and  Will  was  promoted  to  the 
rank  of  captain,  and  at  once  appointed  to  the  command 
of  the  frigate  Etlialion,  thirty-four  guns,  which  had  just 
been  fitted  ready  for  sea. 

He  had  no  difficulty  in  manning  his  ship,  as  a  sufficient 
number  of  the  Jason's  old  crew  volunteered,  and  he  was 
soon  ready  for  service. 

He  was  at  once  despatched  to  join  Lord  Bridport's  fleet, 
and  for  nearly  nine  months  was  engaged  in  the  incessant 
patrolling  which  at  that  time  the  British  frigates  main- 
tained in  the  Channel. 

Towards  the  end  of  July,  1798,  the  vigilance  of  the 
frigates,  if  possible,  increased,  for  it  became  known  that 
two  French  squadrons  were  being  prepared  with  the  inten- 
tion of  landing  troops  in  Ireland.  On  the  6th  of  August 
a  small  squadron  slipped  out  of  Eochefort,  and,  eluding 
the  British  cruisers,  succeeded,  on  the  22d,  in  landing 
General  Humbert  and  eleven  hundred  and  fifty  men  at 
Killala  Bay,  and  then  at  once  returned  to  Eochefort. 

The  attempt  ended  in  failure;  the  peasantry  did  not 
join  as  was  expected,  and  on  the  8th  of  September  General 
Humbert  surrendered  at  Ballinamuck  to  Lieutenant- 
general  Lake. 


354  BY  CONDUCT  AND  COURAGE 

Another  fleet  sailed  from  Brest  on  the  16th  of  Sep- 
tember,, 1798,  consisting  of  one  ship  of  the  line,  the  Hoche, 
and  eight  frigates,  under  Commodore  Bompart.  It  had 
on  board  three  thousand  troops,  a  large  train  of  artillery, 
and  a  great  quantity  of  military  stores.  It  had  set  sail 
for  Ireland  before  the  news  of  the  failure  of  Humbert's 
expedition  had  arrived,  and  it  was  certain  that  as  soon  as 
it  reached  its  intended  place  of  landing  in  Ireland  it 
would  endeavour  to  return  without  delay.  Two  or  three 
days  earlier  the  Etlialion  and  the  eighteen-gun  brig  Sylph 
had  joined  the  thirty-eight-gun  frigate  Boadicea,  which 
was  watching  Brest.  At  daybreak  a  light  breeze  sprang 
up,  and  the  French  made  sail.  Leaving  the  Ethalion  to 
watch  the  French  fleet,  the  Boadicea  sailed  to  carry  the 
news  of  the  start  of  the  expedition  to  Lord  Bridport. 

At  two  o'clock  on  the  18th  the  Ethalion  was  joined  by 
the  Amelia,  a  thirty-eight-gun  frigate,  and  at  daylight  the 
French  directed  their  course  as  if  for  the  West  Indies. 
At  eight  o'clock  they  bore  up,  and  five  of  their  frigates 
chased  the  English  ships.  Presently,  however,  finding 
that  they  did  not  gain,  they  rejoined  the  squadron,  which 
bore  away  to  the  south-west.  On  the  20th  the  two  frigates 
were  joined  by  the  forty-four-gun  frigate  Anson.  At  noon 
the  French  were  nearly  becalmed.  There  was  now  no 
doubt  that  the  destination  of  the  squadron  was  Ireland, 
and  the  news  was  despatched  by  the  Sylph  to  the  com- 
mander-in-chief  of  the  Irish  station. 

On  the  26th  the  French  ships  turned  on  the  frigates, 
but  gave  this  up  about  noon,  and  proceeded  on  their  way. 
The  sea  now  became  so  rough  that  all  the  ships  shortened 
sail.  On  the  29th  the  weather  moderated,  and  the  French 


ST.   VINCENT   AND   CAMPERDOWN  355 

squadron  again  started  in  chase.  About  nine  o'clock  the 
French  battle-ship,  the  Hoche,  sprung  her  main-topmast, 
and  one  of  the  French  frigates  carried  away  her  top-sail 
yard.  At  this  both  the  French  and  the  British  ships 
shortened  sail.  The  French  ships  wore  away  to  the  north- 
west, and  the  British  again  followed  them;  but  the  Anson 
had  sprung  her  topmast,  and  in  the  evening  the  Hoche 
lowered  hers.  The  weather  now  became  very  bad,  and 
the  frigates  hauled  up  and  soon  lost  sight  of  the  enemy. 
A  week  later  the  Amelia  left  them,  but,  three  days  after, 
they  fell  in  with  the  squadron  that  had  been  despatched 
from  Cawsand  Bay  when  the  Boadicea  arrived  with  news 
of  the  start  of  the  French  squadron  from  Brest.  They 
were  also  joined  by  the  frigates  Melampus  and  Doris, 
which  while  at  Lough  Swilly  had  received  news  from  the 
Sylph  of  the  destination  of  the  French  squadron.  The 
whole  were  under  the  command  of  Sir  John  Warren. 

With  the  hope  that  he  had  now  shaken  off  his  pursuers, 
Admiral  Bompart  bore  away  for  Killala  Bay,  but  as  he 
neared  the  land  his  leading  frigate  signalled  the  appear- 
ance of  the  British  squadron.  Sir  John  Warren  immedi- 
ately gave  the  signal  for  a  general  chase,  but  a  heavy  gale 
set  in  that  evening,  during  which  the  Anson  carried  away 
her  mizzen-mast,  main-yard  and  main-topsail-yard.  The 
Hoche,  however,  was  even  more  unfortunate,  for  she  car- 
ried away  her  main-topmast,  and  this  in  its  fall  brought 
down  the  fore  and  mizzen-topgallant-masts.  A  few  hours 
later  the  Resolue  signalled  that  she  had  sprung  a  leak 
which  she  could  not  stop,  and  the  admiral  signalled  orders 
to  her  captain  to  sail  towards  the  coast,  and  by  burning 
blue  lights  and  sending  up  rockets  to  endeavour  to  lead 


356  BY  CONDUCT  AND  COURAGE 

the  British  squadron  after  him,,  and  so  allow  the  rest  of 
the  fleet  to  make  off. 

Admiral  Bompart  now  changed  his  course,  hut  at  day- 
hreak  found  himself  almost  surrounded  by  the  British 
vessels.  Both  squadrons  waited,  but  with  very  different 
feelings,  the  order  to  commence  action.  The  Robust  led 
the  way,  followed  closely  by  the  Magnanime,  and  was  re- 
ceived with  a  fire  from  the  stern-chasers  and  the  quarter 
guns  of  the  French  frigates  Embuscade  and  Coquille.  A 
few  minutes  later  the  Robust  returned  the  fire  and  bore 
down  to  leeward  for  the  purpose  of  engaging  the  Ploche, 
which,  like  herself,  was  a  seventy-four-gun  ship.  In  half 
an  hour  all  the  French  frigates  that  could  get  away  were 
making  off.  The  HocJie  by  this  time  was  a  mere  wreck, 
having  suffered  terribly  from  the  fire  of  the  Robust;  her 
hull  was  riddled  with  shot,  she  had  five  feet  of  water  in 
her  hold,  twenty-five  of  her  guns  were  dismounted,  and  a 
great  portion  of  her  crew  were  killed  and  wounded.  After 
the  battle  had  raged  for  three  hours  she  struck  her  colours. 
The  Embuscade  had  also  surrendered.  The  other  British 
vessels  set  out  in  pursuit  of  the  fugitives.  The  Coquille, 
after  a  brave  resistance,  was  forced  to  haul  down  her 
colours,  and  the  Ethalion  pursued  and  captured  the  Bel- 
lone.  Five  French  frigates  attempted  to  escape,  and  in 
doing  so  sailed  close  to  the  Anson,  which  had  been  unable 
to  take  part  in  the  action  owing  to  the  loss  of  her  mizzen- 
mast,  and  as  they  passed  ahead  of  her,  poured  in  such 
destructive  broadsides  that  she  lost  her  fore  and  main 
masts,  and  had  much  other  serious  damage.  Of  the  ships 
that  had  escaped,  the  Resolue  was  captured  two  or  three 
days  later.  The  Loire  made  a  good  fight;  she  was  pur- 


ST.    VINCENT   AND   CAMPERDOWN  357 

sued  by  the  Mermaid  and  Kangaroo.  The  latter,  which 
was  an  eighteen-gun  brig,  engaged  her,  but  lost  her  fore- 
topmast.  The  Mermaid,  a  thirty-two-gun  frigate,  con- 
tinued the  pursuit. 

At  daybreak  the  Loire,  seeing  that  her  pursuer  was 
alone,  shortened  sail.  As  the  Loire  was  a  forty-gun  ship 
the  fight  was  a  desperate  one,  and  both  vessels  were  so 
badly  injured  that  by  mutual  consent  they  ceased  fire. 
The  Mermaid  lost  her  mizzen-mast,  main-topmast,  and 
had  her  shrouds,  spars,  and  boats  cut  to  pieces.  She  was 
also  making  a  great  deal  of  water,  and  was  therefore 
necessarily  obliged  to  discontinue  the  fight.  The  Loire, 
however,  was  out  of  luck,  for  a  day  or  two  later  she  fell 
in  with  the  Anson  and  Kangaroo,  and  in  consequence  of 
her  battered  condition  she  had  to  surrender  without  re- 
sistance. Similarly,  the  Immortalite,  while  making  her 
way  to  Brest,  fell  in  with  the  Fisgard,  a  vessel  of  just  the 
same  size.  The  Immortality's  fire  was  so  well  aimed  that 
in  a  short  time  the  Fisgard  was  quite  unmanageable.  Re- 
pairs, however,  were  executed  with  great  promptness,  and 
after  a  chase  the  action  was  recommenced.  At  the  end 
of  half  an  hour  the  Fisgard  had  received  several  shots 
between  wind  and  water  and  she  had  six  feet  of  water  in 
her  hold.  Nevertheless  she  continued  the  fight,  and  at 
three  o'clock  the  Immortality  which  was  in  a  semi-sinking 
state,  and  had  lost  her  captain  and  first  lieutenant,  hauled 
down  her  colours. 

Thus  seven  out  of  the  ten  vessels  under  the  command  of 
Commodore  Bompart  were  captured. 

In  the  combat  with  the  Bellone  Will  had  been  slightly 
wounded,  and  as  he  was  most  anxious  to  proceed  with  his 


358  BY  CONDUCT  AND  COUKAGE 

investigation  with  regard  to  his  relations,  he  applied  for 
leave  on  his  arrival  at  Portsmouth. 

This  was  at  once  granted,  and  at  the  same  time  he 
received  his  promotion  to  post  rank  in  consequence  of  his 
capture  of  the  Bellone. 


CHAPTER   XIX 

CONCLUSION 

WILL'S  first  visit,  after  arriving  in  London,  was  to 
Dulwich.  He  had  visited  the  house  with  Mr. 
Palethorpe  when  it  was  in  progress  of  building,  and  had 
been  favourably  impressed  with  it,  but  now  that  it  was 
complete  he  thought  it  was  one  of  the  prettiest  houses  that 
he  had  ever  seen.  The  great  conservatory  was  full  of  plants 
and  shrubs,  which  he  recognized  as  natives  of  Jamaica, 
and  the  garden  was  brilliant  with  bright  flowers. 

"I  am  delighted  to  see  you  again,  Will/'  Mr.  Palethorpe 
said,  as  he  was  shown  in.  "Alice  is  out  at  present,  but 
she  will  be  back  before  long.  I  must  congratulate  you  on 
your  promotion,  which  I  saw  in  the  Gazette  this  morning." 

"Yes,  sir,  my  good  fortune  sticks  to  me,  except  for  this 
wound,  and  it  is  nothing  serious  and  will  soon  be  right 
again." 

"Don't  say  good  fortune,  lad.  You  have  won  your  way 
by  conduct  and  courage,  and  you  have  a  right  to  be  proud 
of  your  position.  I  believe  you  are  the  youngest  captain 


CONCLUSION  359 

in  the  service,  and  that  without  a  shadow  of  private  inter- 
est to  push  you  on.  I  am  very  glad  to  hear  that  your 
wound  is  so  slight." 

"You  are  not  looking  well,  sir,"  Will  said,  after  they 
had  chatted  for  a  time. 

"No,  I  have  had  a  shock  which,  I  am  ashamed  to  say, 
I  have  allowed  to  annoy  me.  I  came  home  with  £70,000. 
Of  that  I  invested  £40,000  in  good  securities,  and  allowed 
the  rest  to  remain  in  my  agent's  hands  until  he  came  upon 
some  good  and  safe  security.  Well,  I  was  away  with  Alice 
in  the  country  when  he  wrote  to  me  to  say  that  he  strongly 
recommended  me  to  buy  a  South  Sea  stock  which  everyone 
was  running  after,  and  which  was  rising  rapidly.  I  must 
own  that  it  seemed  a  good  thing,  so  I  told  him  to  buy. 
Well,  it  went  up  like  wildfire,  and  I  could  have  sold  out 
at  four  times  the  price  at  which  I  bought.  At  last  I  wrote 
to  him  to  realize,  and  he  replied  that  it  had  suddenly 
fallen  a  bit,  and  recommending  me  to  wait  till  it  went  up 
again,  which  it  was  sure  to  do.  I  didn't  see  a  London 
paper  for  some  days,  and  when  I  did  get  one  I  found,  to 
my  horror,  that  the  bubble  had  burst,  and  that  the  stock 
was  virtually  not  worth  the  paper  on  which  it  was  printed. 
The  blow  has  affected  me  a  good  deal.  I  admit  now  that 
it  was  foolish,  and  feel  it  so;  but  when  a  man  has  been 
working  all  his  life,  it  is  hard  to  see  nearly  half  of  the 
fortune  he  has  gained  swept  away  at  a  blow." 

"It  is  hard,  sir,  very  hard.  Still,  it  was  fortunate  that 
you  had  already  invested  £40,000  in  good  securities.  After 
all,  with  this  house  and  £40,000  you  will  really  not  so 
very  much  miss  the  sum  you  have  lost." 

"That  is  exactly  what  I  tell  myself,  Will.     Still,  you 


360  BY    CONDUCT   AND   COURAGE 

know,  a  dog  with  two  bones  in  his  mouth  will  growl  if  he 
loses  one  of  them.  Nevertheless  £40,000  is  not  to  be 
despised  by  any  means,  and  I  shall  have  plenty  to  give 
my  little  Alice  a  good  portion  when  she  marries." 

"That  will  be  comfortable  for  her,  sir,  but  I  should 
say  that  the  man  would  be  lucky  if  he  got  her  without  a 
shilling." 

"Well,  well,  we'll  see,  we'll  see.  I  have  no  desire  to 
part  with  her  yet." 

"That  I  can  well  understand,  sir." 

"Ah,  here  she  is !" 

A  rosy  colour  spread  over  the  girl's  face  when  she  saw 
who  her  father's  visitor  was. 

"I  expected  you  in  a  day  or  two,"  she  said,  "but  not 
so  soon  as  this.  When  we  saw  your  name  in  the  Gazette 
we  made  sure  that  it  would  not  be  long  before  you  paid 
us  a  visit.  I  am  glad  to  see  that  your  wound  has  not 
pulled  you  down  much." 

"No  indeed.  I  am  all  right;  but  it  was  certain  that  I 
should  come  here  first  of  all." 

"And  what  are  your  plans  now  ?"  Mr.  Palethorpe  asked. 

"I  am  going  to  set  to  work  at  once  to  discover  my 
family.  I  have  not  been  to  my  lawyer  yet,  so  I  don't 
know  how  much  he  has  done,  but  I  certainly  mean  to  go 
into  the  business  in  earnest." 

"Well,  it  doesn't  matter  much  to  you  now,  Will,  whether 
your  family  are  dukes  or  beggars.  You  can  stand  on  your 
own  feet  as  a  captain  in  the  royal  navy  with  a  magnificent 
record  of  services." 

"Yes,  I  see  that,  sir ;  but  still  I  certainly  do  wish  to  be 
able  to  prove  that  I  come  of  at  least  a  respectable  family. 


CONCLUSION"  361 

I  have  not  the  least  desire  to  obtain  any  rank  or  anything 
of  that  kind,  only  to  know  that  I  have  people  of  my  own." 

"I  do  not  say  that  it  is  not  a  laudable  ambition,  but  I 
don't  believe  that  anyone  would  think  one  scrap  better 
or  worse  of  you  were  you  to  find  that  you  were  heir  to  a 
dukedom." 

Will  slept  there  that  night,  and  the  next  morning  drove 
into  the  city  to  his  lawyer's  office.  "Well,  Captain  Gil- 
more?"  said  that  gentleman  as  Will  entered  his  private 
room.  "I  am  glad  to  see  you.  I  have  been  quietly  at 
work  making  enquiries  since  you  were  last  here.  I  sent 
a  man  down  to  Scarcombe  some  months  ago.  He  learned 
as  much  as  he  could  there,  and  since  then  has  been  going 
from  village  to  village  and  has  traced  your  father's  jour- 
neyings  for  some  months.  Now  that  you  are  home  I 
should  suggest  employing  two  or  three  men  to  continue 
the  search  and  to  find  out  if  possible  the  point  from 
which  your  father  started  his  wanderings.  Assuming,  as 
I  do,  that  he  was  the  son  of  Sir  Ralph  Gilmore,  I  imagine 
that  he  must  have  quarrelled  with  his  father  at  or  about 
the  time  of  his  marriage.  In  that  case  he  would  probably 
come  up  to  London.  I  have  observed  that  most  men  who 
quarrel  with  their  parents  take  that  step  first.  There, 
perhaps,  he  endeavoured  to  obtain  employment.  The 
struggle  would  probably  last  two,  or  three,  or  four  years. 
I  take  the.  last  to  be  the  most  likely  period,  for  by  that 
time  you  would  be  about  three  years  old.  I  say  that 
because  he  could  hardly  have  taken  you  with  him  had 
you  been  younger. 

"It  is  evident  that  he  had  either  no  hope  of  being 
reconciled  to  his  father  or  that  he  was  himself  too  angry 


362  BY    COKDTJCT   AND   COURAGE 

to  make  advances.  I  therefore  propose  to  send  men  north 
from  London  to  enquire  upon  all  the  principal  roads.  A 
man  with  a  violin  and  a  little  child  cannot  have  been 
altogether  forgotten  in  the  villages  in  which  he  stopped, 
and  I  hope  to  be  able  to  trace  his  way  up  to  Yorkshire. 
Again,  I  should  employ  one  of  the  Bow  Street  runners  to 
make  enquiries  in  London  for  a  man  with  his  wife  and 
child  who  lived  here  so  many  years  ago,  and  whose 
name  was  Gilmore.  I  am  supposing,  you  see,  that  that 
was  his  real  name,  and  not  one  that  he  had  assumed.  I 
confess  I  have  my  doubts  about  it.  A  man  who  quits  his 
home  for  ever  after  a  desperate  quarrel  is  as  likely  as 
not  to  change  his  name.  That  of  course  we  must  risk. 
While  these  enquiries  are  being  made  I  should  like  you  to 
go  back  to  your  old  home;  it  is  possible  that  other 
mementoes  of  his  stay  there  may  have  escaped  the  mem- 
ory of  the  old  people  with  whom  you  lived.  Anything  of 
that  kind  would  be  of  inestimable  value." 

"I  will  go  down,"  Will  said.  "I  am  afraid  there  is  little 
chance  of  my  finding  them  both  alive  now.  I  fancy  they 
were  about  fifty-five  when  I  went  to  live  with  them,  which 
would  make  them  near  eighty  now.  One  or  other  of  them, 
however,  may  be  alive.  I  have  not  been  to  my  agent  yet, 
and  therefore  do  not  know  whether  he  still  sends  them  the 
allowance  I  made  them." 

After  leaving  the  lawyer  he  went  to  his  agent  and  found 
that  the  allowance  was  still  paid,  and  regularly  acknowl- 
edged by  a  receipt  from  the  clergyman.  He  supposed, 
therefore,  that  certainly  one,  if  not  both,  of  the  old  people 
were  still  alive.  He  went  back  to  Dulwich  and  said  that 
he  had  taken  a  seat  on  the  north  coach  for  that  day  week. 


CONCLUSION  363 

"I  could  not  bring  myself  to  leave  before/'  he  said,  "and 
I  knew  you  would  keep  me." 

"Certainly,  my  boy.  I  don't  think  either  Alice  or  my- 
self would  forgive  you  were  you  to  run  away  the  moment 
you  returned." 

When  the  time  came  Will  started  for  the  north,  though 
he  felt  much  reluctance  to  leave  Alice.  He  acknowledged 
now  to  himself  that  he  was  deeply  in  love  with  her. 
Though  from  her  father's  manner  he  felt  that  when  he 
asked  for  her  hand  he  would  not  be  refused,  about  Alice 
herself  he  felt  far  less  confident.  She  was  so  perfectly 
open  and  natural  with  him  that  he  feared  lest  she  might 
regard  him  rather  as  a  brother  than  as  a  lover,  and  yet 
the  blush  which  he  had  noticed  when  he  first  met  her  on 
his  return  gave  him  considerable  hope. 

On  arriving  at  Scarborough  he  stopped  for  the  night 
at  the  house  of  his  old  friend,  Mrs.  Archer.  She  and 
her  husband  listened  with  surprise  and  pleasure  to  his 
stories  of  his  adventures  in  spite  of  his  assurances  that 
these  were  very  ordinary  matters,  and  that  it  was  chiefly 
by  luck  that  he  had  got  on.  He  was  a  little  surprised 
when,  in  reply  to  this,  Mrs.  Archer  used  the  very  words 
Mr.  Palethorpe  had  uttered.  "It  is  of  no  use  your  talking 
in  that  way,  Will,"  she  said.  "No  doubt  you  have  had 
very  good  fortune,  but  your  rapid  promotion  can  only  be 
due  to  your  conduct  and  courage." 

"I  may  have  conducted  myself  well,"  he  said  warmly, 
"but  not  one  bit  better  than  other  officers  in  the  service. 
I  really  owe  my  success  to  the  fortunate  suggestion  of 
mine  as  to  the  best  method  of  attacking  that  pirate  hold. 
As  a  reward  for  this  the  admiral  gave  me  the  command 


364  BY  CONDUCT  AND  COURAGE 

of  LJ 'Agile,  and  so,  piece  by  piece,  it  has  grown.  But  it 
was  to  my  good  fortune  in  making  that  suggestion,  which 
was  really  not  made  in  earnest,  but  only  in  reply  to  the 
challenge  of  another  midshipman,  that  it  has  all  come 
about.  Above  all,  Mrs.  Archer,  I  shall  never  forget  that 
it  was  the  kindness  that  you  showed  me,  and  the  pains 
you  took  in  my  education,  that  gave  me  my  start  in  life." 

The  next  day  he  drove  over  to  Scarcombe,  and  to  his 
pleasure,  on  entering  the  cottage,  found  John  and  his  wife 
both  sitting  just  where  he  had  last  seen  them.  They  both 
rose  to  greet  him. 

"Thank  God,  Will,"  John  said,  "that  we  have  been 
spared  to  see  you  alive  again !  I  was  afraid  that  our  call 
might  come  before  you  returned." 

"Why,  father,  I  don't  think  you  look  a  year  older  than 
you  did  when  I  last  saw  you.  Both  you  and  mother  look 
good  for  another  ten  years  yet." 

"If  we  do,  Will,  it  will  be  thanks  to  the  good  food  you 
have  provided  for  us.  We  live  like  lords;  meat  every 
day  for  dinner,  and  fish  for  breakfast  and  supper.  I 
should  not  feel  right  if  I  didn't  have  a  snack  of  fish 
every  day.  Then  we  have  ale  for  dinner  and  supper. 
There  is  no  one  in  the  village  who  lives  as  we  do.  When 
we  first  began  we  both  felt  downright  fat.  Then  we 
agreed  that  if  we  went  on  like  that  we  never  could  live 
till  you  came  back,  so  we  did  with  a  little  less,  and  as  you 
see  we  both  fill  out  our  clothes  a  long  way  better  than  we 
did  when  you  were  here  last." 

"Well,"  you  certainly  do  both  look  uncommonly  well, 
father." 

"And  you  ain't  married  yet,  Will  ?" 


CONCLUSION  365 

"No,  I've  not  done  anything  about  that  yet,  though 
perhaps  it  won't  be  very  long  before  I  find  a  wife.  I  am 
not  going  to  apply  to  go  on  service  again  for  a  time,  so  I'll 
have  a  chance  to  look  round,  though  I  really  have  one  in 
my  mind's  eye." 

"Tell  us  all  about  it,  Will,"  the  old  woman  said  eagerly ; 
"you  know  how  interested  we  must  be  in  anything  that 
affects  you." 

"Well,  mother,  among  the  many  adventures  I  have  been 
through  I  must  tell  you  the  one  connected  with  this  young 
lady." 

He  then  told  her  of  his  first  meeting,  of  his  stay  at  her 
father's  house,  and  of  the  hurricane  which  they  experi- 
enced together. 

"Well,  mother,  I  met  her  again  unexpectedly  more  than 
two  and  a  half  years  ago  in  London.  Her  father  had  come 
over  here  to  live,  and  has  a  fine  house  at  Dulwich.  I 
have  just  been  staying  there  for  a  week,  and  I  have  some 
hope  that  when  I  ask  her  she  will  consent  to  be  my  wife." 

"Of  course  she  will,"  the  old  woman  said  quite  indig- 
nantly. "How  could  she  do  otherwise?  Why,  if  you  were 
to  ask  the  king's  daughter  I  am  sure  she  would  take  you. 
Here  you  are,  one  of  the  king's  captains,  have  done  all 
sorts  of  wonderful  things,  and  have  beaten  his  enemies 
all  over  the  world,  and  you  are  as  straight  and  good- 
looking  a  young  gentleman  as  anyone  wants  to  see.  No 
one,  who  was  not  out  of  her  mind,  could  think  of  saying 
'No'  to  you." 

"Ah,  mother,  you  are  prejudiced !  To  you  I  am  a  sort 
of  swan  that  has  come  out  of  a  duck's  egg." 

They  chatted  for  some  time,  and  then  Will  said : 


366  BY  CONDUCT  AND  COURAGE 

"Are  you  quite  sure,  John,  that  the  bundle  the  clergy- 
man handed  over  to  me  contained  every  single  thing  my 
father  left  behind  him?" 

"Well,  now  I  think  of  it,  Will,  there  is  something  else. 
I  never  remembered  it  at  the  time,  but  when  my  old 
woman  was  sweeping  a  cobweb  off  the  rafters  the  other 
day  she  said:  'Why,  here  is  Will's  father's  fiddle,'  and, 
sure  enough,  there  it  was.  It  had  been  up  there  from  the 
day  you  came  into  the  house,  and  if  we  noticed  it  none  of 
us  ever  gave  it  a  thought." 

"I  remember  it  now,"  Will  exclaimed.  "When  I  was  a 
young  boy  I  used  to  think  I  should  like  to  learn  to  play 
on  it,  and  I  spoke  to  Miss  Warden  about  it.  But  she  said 
I  had  better  stick  to  my  lessons,  and  then  as  I  grew  up  I 
could  learn  it  if  I  still  had  a  fancy  to  do  so." 

He  got  on  to  a  chair,  and  took  it  from  the  rafter  on 
which  it  had  so  long  lain.  Then  he  carefully  wiped  the 
dust  off  it. 

"It  looks  a  very  old  thing,  but  that  makes  no  difference 
in  its  value  to  me.  I  don't  see  in  the  least  how  this  can 
be  any  clue  whatever  to  my  father's  identity.  Still,  I  will 
take  it  away  with  me  and  show  it  to  my  lawyer,  who  is 
endeavouring  to  trace  for  me  who  my  father  was." 

"And  do  you  think  that  he  will  succeed,  Will  ?" 

"I  rather  believe  he  will.  At  any  rate  he  has  found  a 
gentleman,  a  baronet,  who  has  the  same  name  and  bears 
the  same  coat  of  arms  as  is  on  the  seal  which  was  in  my 
father's  bundle.  We  are  trying  now  to  trace  how  my 
father  came  down  here,  and  where  he  lived  before  he 
started.  You  see  I  must  get  as  clear  a  story  as  I  can 
before  I  go  to  see  this  gentleman.  Mind,  I  don't  want 


CONCLUSION"  367 

anything  from  him.  He  may  be  as  rich  as  a  lord  for 
anything  I  care,  and  may  refuse  to  have  anything  to  do 
with  me,  but  I  want  to  find  out  to  what  family  I  really 
belong." 

"He  must  be  a  bad  lot/'  John  said,  "to  allow  your  father 
to  tramp  about  the  country  with  a  fiddle." 

"I  would  not  say  that,"  Will  said ;  "there  are  always  two 
sides  to  a  story,  and  we  know  nothing  of  my  father's 
reasons  for  leaving  home.  It  may  have  been  his  fault 
more  than  his  father's,  so  until  I  know  the  rights  and 
wrongs  of  the  case  I  will  form  no  judgment  whatever." 

"That  is  right,  my  boy,"  the  old  woman  said.  "I  have 
noticed  that  when  a  boy  runs  away  from  home  and  goes 
to  sea  it  is  as  often  his  fault  as  his  father's.  Sometimes 
it  is  six  of  one  and  half  a  dozen  of  the  other;  sometimes 
the  father  is  a  brute,  but  more  often  the  son  is  a  scamp, 
a  worthless  fellow,  who  will  settle  down  to  nothing,  and 
brings  discredit  on  his  family.  So  you  are  quite  right, 
Will,  not  to  form  any  hard  judgment  on  your  grandfather 
till  you  know  how  it  all  came  about." 

"I  certainly  don't  mean  to,  mother.  Of  course  I  have 
so  little  recollection  of  my  father  that  it  would  not  worry 
me  much  if  I  found  that  it  were  his  fault,  though  of  course 
I  would  rather  know  that  he  was  not  to  blame.  Still,  I 
should  wish  to  like  my  grandfather  if  I  could,  and  if  I 
heard  that  my  poor  father  was  really  entirely  to  blame  I 
should  not  grieve  much  over  it." 

"I  can't  help  thinking  that  he  was  to  blame,  Will.  He 
was  a  curious-looking  man,  with  a  very  bitter  expression 
at  times  on  his  face,  as  if  he  didn't  care  for  anyone  in 
the  world,  except  perhaps  yourself,  and  he  often  left  you 


368  BY  CONDUCT  AND  COURAGE 

alone  in  the  village  when  he  went  and  wandered  about  by 
himself  on  the  moor." 

"Well,  well/'  Will  said,  "it  matters  very  little  to  me 
which  way  it  is.  It  is  a  very  old  story  now,  and  I  dare 
say  that  there  were  faults  on  both  sides." 

Will  spent  a  long  day  with  the  old  people  and  then  re- 
turned to  Scarborough,  taking  the  violin  with  him.  When 
he  told  how  he  had  found  it  Mr.  Archer  took  the  instru- 
ment and  examined  it  carefully. 

"I  think  really/'  he  said  at  last,  "that  this  violin  may 
prove  a  valuable  clue,  as  valuable  almost  as  that  coat  of 
arms.  That  might  very  well  have  been  picked  up  or 
bought  for  a  trifle  at  a  pawnshop,  or  come  into  the  hands 
of  its  possessor  in  some  accidental  way.  But  this  is  differ- 
ent; this,  unless  I  am  greatly  mistaken,  is  a  real  Amati, 
and  therefore  worth  at  least  a  couple  of  hundred  guineas. 
That  could  hardly  have  come  accidentally  into  the  hands 
of  a  wandering  musician ;  it  must  be  a  relic  of  a  time  when 
he  was  in  very  different  circumstances,  and  may  well  have 
been  his  before  he  left  the  home  of  his  childhood." 

"Thank  you  very  much  for  the  information,  Mr. 
Archer !  I  see  at  once  that  it  may  very  well  be  a  strong 
link  in  the  chain." 

Two  days  later  he  returned  to  London.  Mr.  Palethorpe 
was  greatly  pleased  to  hear  that  he  had  found  so  valuable 
a  clue. 

"I  don't  care  a  rap  for  family,"  he  said,  "but  at  the 
same  time  I  suppose  every  man  would  like  his  daugh- 
ter— "  Here  he  stopped  abruptly.  "I  mean  to  say,"  he 
said,  "would  like  to  have  for  his  son-in-law  a  man  of  good 
family.  I  grant  that  it  is  a  very  stupid  prejudice,  still  I 


CONCLUSION  369 

suppose  it  is  a  general  one.  You  told  me,  I  think,  that 
your  lawyer  had  found  out  that  this  Sir  Ealph  Gilmore 
had  only  two  sons,  and  that  one  of  them  had  died  sud- 
denly and  unmarried." 

"That  is  so,  sir/' 

"Then  in  that  case,  you  see,  if  you  prove  your  identity 
you  would  certainly  be  heir  to  the  baronetcy." 

"I  suppose  so,  sir.  I  have  never  given  the  matter  any 
thought.  It  is  not  rank  I  want,  but  family.  Still,  I  might 
not  be  heir  to  the  baronetcy,  for  even  supposing  that  my 
father  was  really  the  other  son,  he  might  have  had  children 
older  than  I  am  who  remained  with  their  grandfather." 

"That  is  possible,"  Mr.  Palethorpe  said,  "though  un- 
likely. Why  should  he  have  left  them  behind  him  when 
he  went  out  into  the  world  ?" 

"He  might  not  have  wished  to  bother  himself  with  them ; 
he  might  have  intended  to  claim  them  later.  No  one  can 
say." 

"Well,  on  the  whole,  I  should  say  that  your  chance  of 
coming  into  the  baronetcy  is  distinctly  good.  It  would 
look  well,  you  know — Captain  Sir  William  Gilmore,  R.N." 

"We  mustn't  count  our  chickens  too  soon,  Mr.  Pale- 
thorpe," Will  laughed;  "but  nevertheless  I  do  think  that 
the  prospects  are  favourable.  Still,  I  must  wait  the  result 
of  the  search  that  my  lawyer  has  been  carrying  on." 

"Well,  you  know  my  house  is  your  home  as  long  as  you 
like  to  use  it." 

"Thank  you,  sir !  But  I  don't  like  to  intrude  upon  your 
kindness  too  much,  and  I  think  that  I  will  take  a  lodging 
somewhere  in  the  West  End,  so  that  I  may  be  within  easy 
reach  of  you  here." 


370  BY  CONDUCT  AND  COUEAGE 

"Well,  it  must  be  as  you  like,  lad.  In  some  respects, 
perhaps,  it  will  be  best  so.  I  may  remind  you,  my  boy, 
that  it  is  not  always  wise  for  two  young  people  to  be  con- 
stantly in  each  other's  society."  And  he  laughed. 

Will  made  no  answer;  he  had  decided  to  defer  putting 
the  question  until  his  claim  was  settled  one  way  or  the 
other. 

In  a  xew  days  he  again  called  upon  his  lawyer. 

"I  have  found  out  enough/'  the  latter  said,  "to  be  certain 
that  your  father  started  from  London  with  his  violin  and 
you,  a  child  of  three.  I  have  considerable  hopes  that  we 
shall,  ere  long,  get  a  clue  to  the  place  where  he  lived  while 
in  London.  The  runner  has  met  a  woman  who  remem- 
bers distinctly  such  a  man  and  a  sick  wife  and  child  lodg- 
ing in  the  house  of  a  friend  of  hers.  The  friend  has 
moved  away  and  she  has  lost  sight  of  her,  but  she  knows 
some  people  with  whom  the  woman  was  intimate,  and 
through  them  we  hope  to  find  out  where  she  lives." 

"That  is  good  news  indeed,"  Will  said.  "I  had  hardly 
hoped  that  you  would  be  so  successful." 

"It  is  a  great  piece  of  luck,"  the  lawyer  said.  "I  have 
written  to  my  other  agents  to  come  home.  It  will  be  quite 
sufficient  to  prove  that  he  journeyed  as  a  wandering  musi- 
cian for  at  last  fifty  miles  from  London.  Of  course  if 
further  evidence  is  necessary  they  can  resume  their 
search." 

"I  have  found  a  clue  too,  sir,"  Will  said;  and  he  then 
related  the  discovery  of  the  Amati,  the  possession  of  which 
showed  that  the  minstrel  must  at  one  time  have  been  in 
wealthy  circumstances. 

"That  is  important  indeed,"  the  lawyer  said,  rubbing  his 


CONCLUSION  371 

hands.  "Now,  sir,  if  we  can  but  find  out  where  the  man 
lived  in  London  I  think  the  chain  will  be  complete.,  espe- 
cially if  he  was  in  comparatively  good  circumstances  when 
he  went  there.  The  woman  will  also,  doubtless,  be  able  to 
give  a  description  of  his  wife  as  well  as  of  himself,  and 
with  these  various  proofs  in  your  hand  I  think  you  may 
safely  go  down  and  see  Sir  Ealph  Gilmore,  whom  I  shall, 
of  course,  prepare  by  letter  for  your  visit." 

Four  days  afterwards  Will  received  a  letter  by  an  office- 
boy  from  his  lawyer  asking  him  to  call. 

"My  dear  sir,"  he  said  as  Will  entered,  "I  congratulate 
you  most  heartily.  I  think  we  have  the  chain  complete 
now.  The  day  before  yesterday  the  Bow  Street  runner 
came  in  to  say  that  he  had  found  the  woman,  and  that  she 
was  now  living  out  at  Highgate.  Yesterday  I  sent  my 
clerk  up  to  see  her,  and  this  is  his  report.  I  may  tell  you 
that  nothing  could  possibly  be  more  satisfactory." 

The  document  was  as  follows : — 

"I  called  on  Mrs.  Giles.  She  is  a  respectable  person 
who  lets  her  house  in  lodgings.  Twenty-five  years  ago  she 
had  a  house  in  Westminster,  and  let  the  drawing-room 
floor  to  a  gentleman  of  the  name  of  Gilmore.  He  was 
rather  tall  and  dark,  and  very  variable  in  his  temper.  He 
had  his  wife  with  him,  and  two  months  afterwards  a  child 
was  born.  It  was  christened  at  St.  Matthew's.  I  was  its 
god-mother,  as  they  seemed  to  have  very  few  friends  in 
the  town.  Mr.  Gilmore  was  out  a  good  deal  looking  for 
employment.  He  used  to  write  of  an  evening,  and  I  think 
made  money  by  it.  He  was  very  fond  of  his  violin.  Some- 
times it  was  soft  music  he  played,  but  if  he  was  in  bad 
temper  he  would  make  it  shriek  and  cry  out,  and  I  used 


372  BY  CONDUCT  AND  COURAGE 

to  think  there  was  a  devil  shut  up  in  it.  It  was  awful ! 
When  he  came  to  me  he  had  plenty  of  money,  but  it  was 
not  long  before  it  began  to  run  short,  and  they  lived  very 
plain.  He  had  all  sorts  of  things,  whips  and  books  and 
dressing-cases.  These  gradually  went,  and  a  year  after  the 
child  was  born  they  moved  upstairs,  the  rooms  being 
cheaper  for  them.  A  year  later  they  occupied  one  room. 
The  wife  fell  ill,  and  the  rent  was  often  in  arrears.  He 
was  getting  very  shabby  in  dress  too.  The  child  was  three 
years  old  when  its  mother  died.  He  sold  all  he  had  left 
to  bury  her  decently,  and  as  he  had  no  money  to  pay  his 
arrears  of  rent,  he  gave  me  a  silver-mounted  looking-glass, 
which  I  understood  his  mother  had  given  him,  and  he  said : 
'Don't  you  sell  this,  but  keep  it,  one  day  or  other  I  will 
come  back  and  redeem  it/  '' 

"This  is  the  glass,  sir,"  the  lawyer  said.  "My  clerk  re- 
deemed it  after  telling  her  that  her  lodger  had  died  long 
ago.  He  went  round  to  St.  Matthew's  Church  and  ob- 
tained the  certificate  of  the  child's  baptism.  So  I  think 
now,  Mr.  Gilmore,  that  we  have  all  the  evidence  that  can 
be  required.  Mrs.  Giles,  on  hearing  that  the  child  was 
alive,  said  she  would  be  happy  to  come  forward  and  repeat 
what  she  had  said  to  my  clerk.  She  seemed  very  interested 
in  the  affair,  and  is  evidently  a  kindly  good-hearted 
woman.  I  fancy  the  silver  frame  is  of  Italian  workman- 
ship, and  will  probably  be  recognized  by  your  grandfather. 
At  any  rate,  someone  there  is  sure  to  know  it.  Now  I 
think  you  are  in  a  position  to  go  down  and  see  him,  and 
if  you  wish  I  will  write  to  him  to-day.  I  shall  not  go  into 
matters  at  all,  and  shall  merely  say  that  the  son  of  his 
son,  Mr.  William  Gilmore,  is  coming  down  to  have  an 


CONCLUSION  373 

interview  with  him,  and  is  provided  with  all  necessary 
proofs  of  his  birth." 

The  next  morning  Will  took  the  coach  and  went  down  to 
Badstock,  in  Somersetshire.  He  put  up  at  the  inn  on  his 
arrival,  and  next  morning  hired  a  gig  and  drove  to  the 
house  of  Sir  Ralph  Gilmore.  It  was  a  very  fine  mansion 
standing  in  an  extensive  park. 

"Not  a  bad  place  by  any  means,"  Will  said  to  himself; 
"I  should  certainly  be  proud  to  bring  Alice  down  here." 

He  alighted  at  the  entrance  and  sent  in  his  name,  and 
was  immediately  shown  into  the  library,  where  a  tall  old 
man  was  sitting. 

"I  understand,  sir,"  he  said  stiffly,  "that  you  claim  to 
be  the  son  of  my  son,  William  Gilmore?" 

"I  do,  sir,  and  I  think  the  proofs  I  shall  give  you  will 
satisfy  you.  You  will  understand,  sir,  please,  before  I  do 
so,  that  I  have  no  desire  whatever  to  make  any  claim  upon 
you;  I  simply  wish  to  be  recognized  as  a  member  of  your 
family." 

The  old  man  looked  him  up  and  down,  and  then  mo- 
tioned him  to  take  a  seat. 

"And  what  has  become  of  your  father,  supposing  him  to 
be  your  father  ?"  he  asked  with  an  evident  effort. 

"He  died,  sir,  nearly  twenty  years  ago." 

The  old  man  was  silent  for  some  little  time,  and  then 
he  said :  "And  you,  sir,  what  have  you  been  doing  since 
then?  But  first,  in  what  circumstances  did  he  die?" 

"In  the  very  poorest.  For  the  last  two  years  of  his  life 
he  earned  his  living  and  mine  as  a  wandering  fiddler." 

"And  what  became  of  you  ?" 

"I  was  brought  up,  sir,  by  a  fisherman  in  the  village  in 
Yorkshire  in  which  my  father  died." 


374  BY   CONDUCT   AND   COURAGE 

"Your  manner  of  speech  does  not  at  all  agree  with  that, 
sir,"  the  old  man  said  sharply. 

"No,  sir,"  Will  said  quietly.  "I  had  the  good  fortune 
to  attract  the  interest  of  the  clergyman's  daughter,  and 
she  was  good  enough  to  assist  me  in  my  education  and 
urge  me  on  to  study." 

"And  what  is  your  trade  or  profession,  sir  ?" 

"I  have  the  honour,  sir,  to  be  post-captain  in  His 
Majesty's  navy." 

"You  a  post-captain  in  His  Majesty's  navy!"  the  old 
man  said  scornfully.  "Do  you  think  to  take  me  in  with 
such  a  tale  as  that  ?  You  might  possibly  be  a  very  junior 
lieutenant." 

"I  am  not  surprised  that  you  think  so,  sir.  Neverthe- 
less I  am  indeed  what  I  say.  My  name  appeared  in  the 
Gazette  a  month  ago." 

"I  remember  now,"  the  baronet  said,  "there  was  a 
William  Gilmore  appointed  to  that  rank.  The  name 
struck  me  as  I  glanced  through  the  Gazette.  I  had  noticed 
it  before  on  several  occasions,  and  I  sighed  as  I  thought 
to  myself  how  different  must  have  been  his  career  from 
that  of  my  unfortunate  son.  Now,  sir,  I  beg  that  you  will 
let  me  see  your  proofs." 

"In  the  first  place,  sir,  there  is  this  seal  with  your 
armorial  bearings,  which  was  found  upon  him  after  his 
death.  This  is  a  looking-glass,  one  which  I  believe  was 
given  to  him  by  his  mother.  This  is  the  violin  with  whicli 
he  earned  his  living." 

The  old  man  stretched  his  hand  out  for  the  violin,  with 
tears  in  his  eyes. 

"I  gave  it  to  him,"  he  said,  "when  he  was  eighteen.    I 


CONCLUSION  375 

thought  it  a  great  piece  of  extravagance  at  the  time,  but 
he  had  such  a  taste  for  music  that  I  thought  he  deserved 
the  best  instrument  I  could  get.  The  looking-glass  I  also 
recognize,  and  of  course  the  seal.  Is  there  anything  more, 
sir?" 

"This,  sir,  is  the  certificate  of  my  baptism  at  St. 
Matthew's  Church,  Westminster.  This  is  a  statement  of 
my  lawyer's  clerk,  who  interviewed  the  woman  in  whose 
house  my  father  and  mother  lived,  and  my  mother  died." 

The  baronet  took  it  and  read  it  in  silence. 

"I  can  produce  also,"  Will  went  on,  as  the  old  man 
laid  it  down  with  a  sigh,  "the  evidence  of  the  lady  who 
educated  me,  and  to  whom  I  owe  all  the  good  fortune  that 
has  befallen  me.  The  old  fisherman  and  his  wife  who 
brought  me  up  are  still  alive,  though  very  old.  I  have 
means  of  obtaining  abundant  evidence  from  my  shipmates 
in  the  various  vessels  in  which  I  have  sailed  that  I  am  the 
boy  who  left  that  village  at  the  age  of  fifteen,  and  entered 
as  a  ship's  boy  in  one  of  His  Majesty's  vessels." 

"And  you  are  now — ?"  the  baronet  asked. 

"I  am  now  twenty-three,  sir." 

"And  a  captain?" 

"That  is  so,  sir.  I  was  made  a  midshipman  before  I  had 
been  three  months  on  board,  partly  because  I  saved  the 
first  lieutenant's  life,  and  partly  because  I  understood 
enough  mathematics  to  take  an  observation.  Of  course  I 
served  my  time  as  a  midshipman,  and  a  year  after  passing 
I  was  made  a  second  lieutenant.  By  the  death  of  my  first 
lieutenant  at  the  battle  of  St.  Vincent  I  succeeded  to  his 
post,  and  obtained  the  rank  of  captain  for  my  share  in 
the  battle  of  Camperdown.  I  received  post  rank  the  other 


376  BY  CONDUCT  AND  COUEAGE 

day  when,  in  command  of  the  Ethalion,  I  brought  the 
Bellone,  a  frigate  of  Admiral  Bompart's  fleet,  a  prize  to 
Portsmouth." 

"Well,  sir,  your  career  has  indeed  been  creditable  and 
successful,  and  I  am  proud  to  acknowledge,  as  my  grand- 
son and  heir  to  my  title,  a  young  gentleman  who  has  so 
greatly  distinguished  himself.  For  I  do  acknowledge  you. 
The  proofs  you  have  given  me  leave  no  doubt  in  my  mind 
whatever  that  you  are  the  son  of  my  second  son.  You 
were,  of  course,  too  young  to  remember  whether  he  ever 
spoke  to  you  of  me." 

"Yes,  sir.  I  was  but  five  at  the  time  of  his  death,  and 
have  but  a  very  faint  recollection  of  him." 

"Of  course,  of  course,"  the  baronet  said;  "it  was  a  sad 
affair.  Perhaps  I  was  to  blame  to  some  extent,  though  I 
have  never  thought  so.  Your  father  was,  as  doubtless 
you  know,  a  second  son.  Although  somewhat  eccentric  in 
disposition,  and  given  to  fits  of  passion,  I  had  no  serious 
occasion  to  complain  of  him  until  he  went  up  to  Oxford. 
There  he  got  into  a  wild  and  dissipated  set,  and  became 
the  wildest  and  most  dissipated  among  them.  His  great 
talent  for  music  was  his  bane.  He  was  continually  asked 
out.  After  being  two  years  up  there,  and  costing  me  very 
large  sums  in  paying  his  debts,  he  was  sent  down  from  the 
university.  He  would  not  turn  his  hands  to  anything, 
and  went  up  to  London  with  the  idea  of  making  his  way 
somehow.  He  made  nothing  but  debts,  got  into  various 
scandalous  affairs,  and  dragged  our  name  through  the 
dust.  At  last  he  came  home  one  day  and  calmly  informed 
me  that  he  had  married  a  woman  in  a  rank  of  life  beneath 
him.  She  was,  I  believe,  the  daughter  of  a  horse-dealer 


CONCLUSION  377 

of  very  doubtful  character.  He  also  said  that  he  wanted 
£1200  to  enable  him  to  start  fair.  I  lost  my  temper  and 
said  that  he  should  not  have  another  pound  from  me. 
We  had  a  desperate  quarrel,  and  he  left  the  house,  taking 
with  him  all  his  belongings.  It  was  four  years  before  I 
took  any  steps  to  bring  him  back.  Then  his  elder  brother 
died,  and  on  that  I  took  every  means  to  find  him  out. 
That  he  would  ever  be  a  credit  to  me  I  did  not  even  dare 
to  hope,  but  at  least  he  could  not  be  allowed  to  live  in 
poverty.  I  advertised  widely  and  employed  detectives  for 
months,  but  all  without  result.  I  have  long  since  given 
up  any  hopes  of  ever  seeing  him  again.  I  am  glad,  indeed, 
to  find  that  the  title,  at  my  death,  will  not  go  to  a  distant 
cousin,  but  to  my  grandson,  a  gentleman  in  every  way 
worthy  of  it.  You  are  not  married,  I  hope  ?" 

"I  am  not  married,  sir;  but  I  think,  if  you  had  asked 
the  question,  I  should  have  replied  that  I  was  engaged, 
or  rather  had  hopes  of  being  engaged  soon." 

"Who  is  she  ?"  the  baronet  asked  quickly. 

"She  is  the  only  daughter  of  a  successful  West  Indian 
planter,  a  man  of  the  highest  standing  in  the  colony,  who 
has  now  returned  and  settled  here." 

The  baronet  heaved  a  sigh  of  relief. 

"That  is  well,"  he  said ;  "and  considering  that  you  have 
been  all  your  life  at  sea,  and  have  had  no  opportunity  of 
making  the  acquaintance  of  ladies  of  titled  families,  it  is 
better  than  I  could  have  expected.  As  I  do  not  know  the 
procedure  in  these  matters  I  had  better  consult  my  lawyer 
as  to  the  best  way  of  using  these  relics  and  the  proofs  you 
have  given  me  that  you  are  my  grandson.  It  may  be  that 
my  recognition  of  you  is  sufficient,  but  it  would  be  as  well 


378  BY  CONDUCT  AND  COURAGE 

to  make  sure  that  at  my  death  there  will  be  no  opposition 
to  your  succession.  You  will  stop  here  for  a  day  or  two, 
I  hope,  before  going  up  to  town  to  arrange  the  little  affair 
you  spoke  of,  and  I  think  if  your  chances  were  good 
before,  they  will  be  still  better  now  that  you  are  recognized 
as  heir  to  a  baronetcy  and  one  of  the  finest  estates  in 
England." 

"I  have  never  thought  of  that,  sir.  I  have  my  profession 
and  nearly  £40,000  of  prize-money,  which  will  enable  us 
to  live  in  great  comfort;  and  indeed  I  anticipate  that  her 
father  will  wish  us  to  reside  with  him,  or,  at  any  rate, 
that  she  shall  do  so  while  I  am  away  on  service/' 

"I  hope  you  will  not  think  of  remaining  at  sea.  It 
would  be  monstrous  for  a  man  heir  to  £10,000  a  year,  be- 
sides very  large  accumulations,  to  be  knocking  about  the 
world  and  running  the  risk  of  having  his  head  taken  off 
with  a  round-shot  every  day.  I  earnestly  entreat  you  not 
to  dream  of  such  a  thing." 

"I  will  think  it  over.  I  am  fond  of  the  sea,  but  shall 
certainly  be  fonder  of  my  wife,  and  I  feel  that  your  wishes 
in  the  matter  should  weigh  with  me." 

"Well,  I  hope  you  will  at  least  spend  a  portion  of  your 
time  here.  It  will  be  your  future  home,  and  it  is  well 
that  you  should  acquaint  yourself  with  your  duties.  Be- 
sides, remember  the  years  that  I  have  been  a  lonely  man." 

"I  would  rather  not  give  a  promise,  but  I  shall  cer- 
tainly take  your  wishes  into  consideration." 

"Well,  I  am  content  with  that,  my  boy.  You  will  stay 
here  now  a  few  days,  I  hope.  I  have  so  much  to  hear  of 
your  life,  and  of  course  I  wish  to  become  better  acquainted 
with  you." 


CONCLUSION  379 

Will  remained  a  week,  during  which,  time  he  made  a 
great  advance  in  the  baronet's  affections,  and  the  old  man 
seemed  to  gain  some  years  of  life  as  he  walked  in  the  gar- 
den and  drove  through  the  country  with  his  young  heir, 
whom  he  was  delighted  to  introduce  to  everyone. 

When  he  returned  to  London  he  at  once  drove  over  to 
Dulwich. 

"Well,  Will,  what  is  the  result  of  it  all?"  Mr.  Pale- 
thorpe  said,  for  Will  had  purposely  abstained  from  going 
to  their  house  after  his  last  interview  with  his  lawyer. 
"Alice  has  been  imagining  all  sorts  of  things :  that  you 
had  been  run  over,  or  had  run  away  with  some  girl." 

"Father !  I  never  thought  that  for  a  moment,"  his 
daughter  said  indignantly,  "though  I  have  been  very 
anxious,  for  it  is  nearly  a  fortnight  since  he  was  here." 

"I  have  done  a  good  deal  in  my  time,"  Will  said.  "I 
did  not  write  to  you,  because  I  wanted  to  tell  you.  I  am 
acknowledged  as  the  grandson  and  heir  to  the  title  and 
estates  of  Sir  Ralph  Gilmore." 

Both  gave  an  exclamation  of  pleasure. 

"And  now,"  he  said,  taking  her  hand,  "I  only  need  one 
thing  to  complete  my  happiness,  and  that  is,  that  you  will 
share  my  good  fortune  with  me.  May  I  hope  that  it  will 
be  so?" 

"Certainly  you  may,  Will.  I  think  I  have  loved  you 
ever  since  I  was  a  little  girl,  and  acknowledge  that  my 
principal  reason  for  inducing  father  to  come  to  live  in 
England  was  that  I  believed  I  should  have  more  chance 
of  meeting  you  again  here  than  in  Jamaica." 

"I  am  heartily  glad,  too,  that  it  is  all  settled,"  Mr. 
Palethorpe  said.  "I  have  seen  it  coming  on  ever  since  you 


380  BY  CONDUCT  AND  COURAGE 

met  us  the  first  time  in  London,  and  I  may  say  that  I  have 
seen  it  with  pleasure,  for  there  is  no  one  to  whom  I  would 
sooner  trust  her  happiness  than  you.  Now  I  will  leave 
you  to  yourselves." 

It  need  hardly  be  said  that  Alice  was  as  anxious  as  Sir 
Ealph  Gilmore  that  Will  should  quit  the  navy,  and  he 
consequently  yielded  to  their  entreaties.  He  wrote  to  his 
grandfather  to  tell  him  of  his  engagement,  and  the  haronet 
wrote  back  by  return  of  post  to  Mr.  Palethorpe,  begging 
him  to  come  down  with  his  daughter  and  Will  for  a  time. 

"I  only  half  know  him  at  present,"  he  said,  "and  as  I 
understand  that  just  at  present  he  will  not  want  to  leave 
the  young  lady  of  his  choice,  you  will  gladden  an  old  man 
if  you  will  all  three  come  down  to  stay  with  me." 

Three  months  later  the  marriage  took  place  from  the 
house  at  Dulwich.  Sir  Ralph  Gilmore  came  up  for  the 
ceremony,  and  the  change  that  the  three  months  had 
effected  in  him  was  extraordinary.  He  was  the  gayest  of 
the  party. 

Among  those  present  at  the  ceremony  were  also  Will's 
two  devoted  friends,  Dimchurch  and  Tom  Stevens.  The 
baronet  was  greatly  pleased  with  their  affection  and  pride 
in  Will,  and  offered  both  good  posts  on  the  estate.  So 
none  of  the  comrades  went  to  sea  again. 

The  baronet  gave  into  Will's  hands  the  entire  manage- 
ment of  the  estate  and  house,  so  his  death,  seven  years  later, 
made  practically  no  difference  to  Will's  position.  Will 
took  to  country  pursuits,  and  became  one  of  the  most 
popular  landlords  in  Somersetshire,  while  his  wife  was 
quite  one  of  the  most  popular  ladies  in  the  county.  Her 
father,  up  to  the  time  of  his  death,  spent  most  of  his  time 


CONCLUSION-  381 

down  there,  and  they  used  the  house  at  Dulwich  as  their 
abode  when  they  stayed  in  London  during  the  season. 
Mrs.  Archer  came  more  than  once  to  stay  with  them,  as 
their  most  honoured  guest.  Stevens  and  Dimchurch  both 
married.  The  former  became  head-gamekeeper  on  the 
estate,  a  post  in  which  he  showed  great  talent.  The  latter 
took  a  small  cottage  with  a  bit  of  land  just  outside  the 
park  gates,  for  he  was  able  to  live  very  comfortably  on 
the  interest  of  his  prize-money.  He  had  no  children  of 
his  own,  and  his  great  pleasure  was  to  wander  about  with 
Will's,  telling  them  of  their  father's  adventures  in  the 
great  war. 

It  was  not  till  well  on  in  the  sixties  that  Sir  William 
Gilmore,  captain,  R.N.,  departed  this  life,  a  few  weeks 
after  the  death  of  his  wife,  leaving  behind  him  a  large 
family  to  carry  on  the  old  name. 


THE   END 


A    LIST     OF     BOOKS 

FOR 

YOUNG    PEOPLE 

By    G.    A.    HENTY 


BY  CONDUCT   AND   COURAGE 

A  Story  of  Nelson's  Days.     Illustrated.     $1.20  net  (postage,  16c.). 

This,  the  last  of  the  celebrated  Henty  Books  ever  to  be  published,  is  a 
rattling  story  of  the  battle  and  the  breeze  in  the  glorious  days  of  Parker 
and  Nelson.  The  hero  is  brought  up  in  a  Yorkshire  fishing  village,  and 
enters  the  navy  as  a  ship's  boy. 

In  the  course  of  a  few  months  after  joining  he  so  distinguishes  him- 
self in  action  with  French  ships  and  Moorish  pirates  that  he  is  raised  to 
the  dignity  of  midshipman.  His  ship  is  afterward  sent  to  the  West 
Indies.  Here  his  services  attract  the  attention  of  the  Admiral,  who 
gives  him  command  of  a  small  cutter.  In  this  vessel  he  cruises  about 
among  the  islands,  chasing  and  capturing  pirates,  and  even  attacking 
their  strongholds.  He  is  a  born  leader  of  men,  and  his  pluck,  foresight, 
and  resource  win  him  success  where  men  of  greater  experience  might 
have  failed.  He  is  several  times  taken  prisoner :  by  mutinous  negroes  in 
Cuba,  by  Moorish  pirates  who  carry  him  as  a  slave  to  Algiers,  and  finally 
by  the  French.  In  this  last  case  he  escapes  in  time  to  take  part  in  the 
battles  of  Cape  St.  Vincent  and  Camperdown.  His  adventures  include  a 
thrilling  experience  in  Corsica  with  no  less  a  companion  than  Nelson 
himself. 

WITH  THE  ALLIES  TO   PEKIN 

A  Tale  of  the  Relief  of  the  Legations.     Illustrated  by  WAL  PAGET. 
$1.20  net. 

In  this  book  the  writer  re-tells  the  story  of  the  Siege  of  Pekin  in  a  way 
that  is  sure  to  grip  the  interest  of  his  young  readers.  The  experience  of 
Rex  Bateman,  the  son  of  an  English  merchant  at  Tientsin,  and  of  his 
cousins,  two  girls  whom  Rex  rescues  from  the  Boxers  just  after  the  first 
outbreak,  offer  a  variety  of  heroic  incident  sufficient  to  fire  the  loyalty  of 
the  most  indifferent  lad. 

THROUGH  THREE  CAMPAIGNS 

A  Story  of  Chitral,  Tirah,  and  Ashanti.    Illustrated  by  WAL  PAGET. 
$1.20  net. 

The  exciting  story  of  a  boy's  adventures  in  the  British  Army.  Lisle 
Bullen,  left  an  orphan,  is  to  be  sent  home  by  the  colonel  of  the  regiment 
on  the  eve  of  the  Chitral  campaign.  The  boy's  patriotism  compels  him, 
instead,  to  secretly  join  the  regiment.  He  early  distinguishes  himself 
for  conspicuous  bravery.  His  disguise  is  discovered  and  his  promotions 
follow  rapidly. 


BOOKS  FOR  JO  UNO  PEOPLE 


BY  C.  A.  HENTY 

"  Among  writers  of  stories  of  adventures  for  boys  Mr,  Henty  stands 
in  the  very  first  rank." — Academy  (London). 


THE   TREASURE    OF   THE    INCAS 

A  Tale  of  Adventure  in  Peru.     With  8  full-page  Illustrations 
by  WAL  PAGET,  and  Map.     $1.20  net. 

Peru  and  the  hidden  treasures  of  her  ancient  kings  offer  Mr.  Henty  a 
most  fertile  field  for  a  stirring  story  of  adventure  in  his  most  engaging 
style.  In  an  effort  to  win  the  girl  of  his  heart,  the  hero  penetrates  into 
the  wilds  of  the  land  of  the  Incas.  Boys  who  have  learned  to  look  for 
Mr.  Henty's  books  will  follow  his  new  hero  in  his  adventurous  and 
romantic  expedition  with  absorbing  interest.  It  is  one  of  the  most  cap- 
tivating tales  Mr.  Henty  has  yet  written. 

WITH  KITCHENER  IN  THE  SOUDAN 

A  Story  of  Atbara  and  Omdurman.     With  10  full-page  Illus- 
trations.   $1.20  net. 

Mr.  Henty  has  never  combined  history  and  thrilling  adventure  more 
skillfully  than  in  this  extremely  interesting  story.  It  is  not  in  boy  nat- 
ure to  lay  it  aside  unfinished,  once  begun ;  and  finished,  the  reader  finds 
himself  in  possession,  not  only  of  the  facts  and  the  true  atmosphere  of 
Kitchener's  famous  Soudan  campaign,  but  of  the  Gordon  tragedy  which 
preceded  it  by  so  many  years  and  of  which  it  was  the  outcome. 

WITH  THE  BRITISH  LEGION 

A  Story  of  the  Carlist  Uprising  of  1836.     Illustrated.     $1.20 

net. 

Arthur  Ballet,  a  young  English  boy,  finds  himself  in  difficulty  at 
home,  through  certain  harmless  school  escapades,  and  enlists  in  the 
famous  "  British  Legion,"  which  was  then  embarking  for  Spain  to  take 
part  in  the  campaign  to  repress  the  Carlist  uprising  of  1836.  Arthur 
shows  his  mettle  in  the  first  fight,  distinguishes  himself  by  daring  work 
in  carrying  an  important  dispatch  to  Madrid,  makes  a  dashing  and 
thrilling  rescue  of  the  sister  of  his  patron,  and  is  rapidly  promoted  to  the 
rank  of  captain  In  following  the  adventures  of  the  hero  the  reader  ob- 
tains, as  is  usual  with  Mr.  Henty's  stories,  a  most  accurate  and  interest- 
ing history  of  a  picturesque  campaign. 


BOOKS   FOE    YOUNG   PEOPLE 


STORIES    BY    G,    A.    HENTY 

11  His  books  have  at  once  the  solidity  of  history  and  the  charm  of 
romance. "-Journal  of  Education. 


TO  HERAT  AND   CABUL 

A  Story  of  the  First  Afghan  War.    By  G.  A.  HENTY.    With 
Illustrations.      12mo,  $1.20  net. 

The  greatest  defeat  ever  experienced  by  the  British  Army  was  that 
in  the  Mountain  Passes  of  Afghanistan.  Angus  Cameron,  the  hero  of 
this  book,  having  been  captured  by  the  friendly  Afghans,  was  com- 
pelled to  be  a  witness  of  the  calamity.  His  whole  story  is  an  intensely 
interesting  one,  from  his  boyhood  in  Persia;  his  employment  underthe 
Government  at  Herat;  through  the  defense  of  that  town  against  the 
Persians;  to  Cabul,  where  he  shared  in  all  the  events  which  ended  in 
the  awful  march  through  the  Passes  from  which  but  one  man  escaped. 
Angus  is  always  at  the  point  of  danger,  and  whether  in  battle  or  in 
hazardous  expeditions  shows  how  much  a  brave  youth,  full  of 
resources,  can  do,  even  with  so  treacherous  a  foe.  His  dangers  and 
adventures  are  thrilling,  and  his  escapes  marvellous. 

WITH  ROBERTS  TO  PRETORIA 

A  Tale  of  the  South  African  War.     By  G.  A  HENTY.    With  12 
Illustrations.    $1.20  net. 

The  Boer  War  gives  Mr.  Henty  an  unexcelled  opportunity  for  a 
thrilling  story  of  present-day  interest  which  the  author  could  not  fail  to 
take  advantage  of.  Every  boy  reader  will  find  this  account  of  the  ad- 
ventures of  the  young  hero  most  exciting,  and,  at  the  same  time  a 
wonderfully  accurate  description  of  Lord  Roberta's  campaign  to  Preto- 
ria. Boys  have  found  history  in  the  dress  Mr.  Henty  gives  it  anything 
but  dull,  and  the  present  book  is  no  exception  to  the  rule. 

AT  THE  POINT  OF  THE  BAYONET 

A  Tale  of  the  Mahratta  War.    By  G.  A.  HENTY.    Illustrated. 
12mo,  $1.20  net. 

One  hundred  years  ago  the  rule  of  the  British  in  India  was  only  partly 
established.  The  powerful  Mahrattas  were  unsubdued,  and  with  their 
skill  in  intrigue,  and  great  military  power,  they  were  exceedingly  dan 
gerous.  The  story  of  "At  the  Point  of  the  Bayonet"  begins  with 
the  attempt  to  conquer  this  powerful  people.  Harry  Lindsay,  an 
infant  when  bis  father  and  mother  were  killed,  was  saved  by  his 
Mahratta  ayah,  who  carried  him  to  her  own  people  and  brought  him 
up  as  a  native.  She  taught  him  as  best  she  could,  and,  having  told  him 
his  parentage,  sent  him  to  Bombay  to  be  educated.  At  sixteen  he  ob- 
tained a  commission  in  the  English  Army,  and  his  knowledge  of  the 
Mahratta  tongue  combined  with  his  ability  and  bravery  enabled  him  to 
render  great  service  in  the  Mahratta  War,  and  carried  him,  through 
many  frightful  perils  by  land  and  sea,  to  high  rank. 


BOOKS  FOR    TO  UNO   P&OPLE 


BY  G.  A.  HENTY 

"Mr.   Henty  might  with  entire  propriety  be  called  the  boys' Sir 
Walter  Scott."— Philadelphia  Press. 


IN  THE   IRISH   BRIGADE 

A  Tale  of  War  in  Flanders  and  Spain.    With  12  Illustrations  by 
CHARLES  M.  SHELDON.    12mo,  $1.50. 

Desmond  Kennedy  is  a  young  Irish  lad  who  left  Ireland  to  join  the 
Irish  Brigade  in  the  service  of  Louis  XIV.  of  France.  In  Paris  he  in- 
curred the  deadly  hatred  of  a  powerful  courtier  from  whom  he  had 
rescued  a  young  girl  who  had  been  kidnapped,  and  his  perils  are  of  ab- 
sorbing interest.  Captured  in  an  attempted  Jacobite  invasion  of  Scot- 
land, he  escaped  in  a  most  extraordinary  manner.  As  aid-de-camp 
to  the  Duke  of  Berwick  he  experienced  thrilling  adventures  in  Flan- 
ders. Transferred  to  the  Army  in  Spain,  he  was  nearly  assassinated,but 
escaped  to  return,  when  peace  was  declared,  to  his  native  land,  having 
received  pardon  and  having  recovered  his  estates.  The  story  is  filled 
with  adventure,  and  the  interest  never  abates. 

OUT   WITH   GARIBALDI 

A   Story  of  the  Liberation  of  Italy.    By  G.  A.  HENTY.    With 
8  Illustrations  by  W.  RAINEY,  R.I.     12mo,  $1.50. 

Garibaldi  himself  is  the  central  figure  of  this  brilliant  story,  and  the 
little-known  history  of  the  struggle  for  Italian  freedom  is  told  here  in 
the  most  thrilling  way.  From  the  time  the  hero,  a  young  lad,  son  of 
an  English  father  and  an  Italian  mother,  joins  Garibaldi's  band  of 
1,000  men  in  the  first  descent  upon  Sicily,  which  was  garrisoned  by  one 
of  the  large  Neapolitan  armies,  until  the  end,  when  all  those  armies 
are  beaten,  and  the  two  Sicilys  are  conquered,  we  follow  with  the 
keenest  interest  the  exciting  adventures  of  the  lad  in  scouting,  in 
battle,  and  in  freeing  those  in  prison  for  liberty's  sake. 

WITH    BULLER   IN  NATAL 

Or,  A  Born  Leader.     By  G.  A.  HENTY.    With  10  Illustrations 
by  W.  RAINEY.     12mo,  $1.50. 

The  breaking  out  of  the  Boer  War  compelled  Chris  King,  the  hero 
of  the  story,  to  flee  with  his  mother  from  Johannesburg  to  the  sea 
coast.  They  were  with  many  other  Uitlanders,  and  all  suffered  much 
from  the  Boers.  Reaching  a  place  of  safety  for  their  families,  Chris 
and  twenty  of  his  friends  formed  an  independent  company  of  scouts.  In 
this  service  they  were  with  Gen.  Yule  at  Glencoe,  then  in  Ladysmith, 
then  with  Buller.  In  each  place  they  had  many  thrilling  adventures. 
They  were  in  great  battles  and  in  lonely  fights  on  the  Veldt ;  were 
taken  prisoners  and  escaped;  and  they  rendered  most  valuable  service 
to  the  English  forces.  The  story  is  a  most  interesting  picture  of  the 
War  in  South  Africa. 


BOOKS  FOR    TO  UNO   PEOPLE 


BY  G.  A.  HENTY 

"  Surely  Mr.  Henty  should  understand  boys'  tastes  better  than  any 
man  living."—  The  Times. 


WON   BY   THE   SWORD 

A  Tale  of  the  Thirty  Years'  War.    With  12  Illustrations  by 
CHARLES  M.  SHELDON,  and  four  Plans,     12mo,  $1.50. 

The  scene  of  this  story  is  laid  in  "^rance,  during  t.hp.  time  of  Richelieu, 
of  Mazarin  and  Anne  of  Austria.  The  hero.  Hector  Campbell,  is  the 
orphaned  son  of  a  Scotch  officer  in  the  French  Army.  How  he  at- 
tracted the  notice  of  Marshal  Turenne  and  of  the  Prince  of  Conde ; 
how  he  rose  to  the  rank  of  Colonel ;  how  he  finally  had  to  leave  France, 
pursued  by  the  deadly  hatred  of  the  Due  de  Beaufort — all  these  and 
much  more  the  story  tells  with  the  most  absorbing  interest. 

A  ROVING  COMMISSION 

Or,  Through  the  Black  Insurrection  at  Hayti.     With  12  Illus- 
trations by  WILLIAM  RAINEY.     12mo,  $1.50. 

This  is  one  of  the  most  brilliant  of  Mr.  Henty's  books.  A  story  of 
the  sea,  with  all  its  life  and  action,  it  is  also  full  of  thrilling  adven- 
tures on  land.  So  it  holds  the  keenest  interest  until  the  end.  The 
scene  is  a  new  one  to  Mr.  Henty's  readers,  being  laid  at  the  time  of  the 
Great  Revolt  of  the  Blacks,  by  which  Hayti  became  independent. 
Toussaint  1'Overture  appears,  and  an  admirable  picture  is  given  of  him 
and  of  his  power. 

NO   SURRENDER 

The   Story  of  the  Revolt  in  La  Vendee.    With  8  Illustrations 
by  STANLEY  L.  WOOD.     12mo,  $1.50. 

The  revolt  of  La  Vendee  against  the  French  Republic  at  the  time  of 
the  Revolution  forms  the  groundwork  of  this  absorbing  story.  Leigh 
Stansfield,  a  young  English  lad,  is  drawn  into  the  thickest  of  the  con- 
flict. Forming  a  company  of  boys  as  scouts  for  the  Vende"au  Army, 
he  greatly  aids  the  peasants.  He  rescues  his  sister  from  the  guillotine, 
and  finally,  after  many  thrilling  experiences,  when  the  cause  of  La 
Vende'e  is  lost,  he  escapes  to  England. 

UNDER  WELLINGTON'S  COMMAND 

A  Tale  of  the  Peninsular  War.     With  12  Illustrations  by  WAL 
PAGET.    12mo,  $1.50. 

The  dashing  hero  of  this  book,  Terence  O'Connor,  was  the  hero  of 
Mr.  Henty's  previous  book,  "  With  Moore  at  Corunna,"  to  which  this 
is  really  a  sequel.  He  is  still  at  the  head  of  the  "  Minho  "  Portuguese 
regiment.  Being  detached  on  independent  and  guerilla  duty  with  his 
regiment,  he  renders  invaluable  service  in  gaining  information  and  in 
harassing  the  French.  His  command,  being  constantly  on  the  edge  of 
the  army,  is  engaged  in  frequent  skirmishes  and  some  most  important 
battles. 


BOOKS   FOR    TGmVG   PEOPLE 


BY  G.  A.  HENTY 
"Mr.  Henty  is  the  king  of  story-tellers  for  boy  s."— Sword  and  Trowel. 


AT  ABOUKIR  AND  ACRE 

A  Story  of  Napoleon's  Invasion  of  Egypt.  With  8  full-page 
Illustrations  by  WILLIAM  RAINEY,  and  3  Plans.  12mo, 
$1.50. 

The  hero,  having  saved  the  life  of  the  eon  of  an  Arab  chief ,  is  taken 
Into  the  tribe,  has  a  part  in  the  battle  of  the  Pyramids  and  the  revolt 
at  Cairo.  He  is  an  eye-witness  of  the  famous  naval  battle  of  Aboukir, 
and  later  is  in  the  hardest  of  the  defense  of  Acre. 

BOTH  SIDES  THE  BORDER 

A  Tale  of  Hotspur  and  Glendower.  With  13  full-page  Illus- 
trations by  RALPH  PEACOCK.  12mo,  $1.50. 

This  is  a  brilliant  story  of  the  stirring  times  of  the  beginning  of  the 
Wars  of  the  Roses,  when  the  Scotch,  under  Douglas,  and  the  Welsh, 
under  Owen  Glendower,  were  attacking  the  English.  The  hero  of  the 
book  lived  near  the  Scotch  border,  and  saw  many  a  hard  fight  there. 
Entering  the  service  of  Lord  Percy,  he  was  sent  to  Wales,  where  he 
was  knighted,  and  where  he  wag  captured.  Being  released,  he  returned 
home,  and  shared  in  the  fatal  battle  of  Shrewsbury. 


WITH  FREDERICK  THE  GREAT 

A  Tale  of  the  Seven  Years'  War.     With  12  full-page  Illustra- 
tions.    12mo,  $1.50. 

The  hero  of  this  story  while  still  a  youth  entered  the  service  of 
Frederick  the  Great,  and  by  a  succession  of  fortunate  circumstances 
and  perilous  adventures,  rose  to  the  rank  of  colonel.  Attached  to  the 
staff  of  the  king,  he  rendered  distinguished  services  in  many  battles,  in 
one  of  which  he  saved  the  king's  life.  Twice  captured  and  imprisoned, 
he  both  times  escaped  from  the  Austrian  fortresses. 

A  MARCH  ON  LONDON 

A  Story  of  Wat  Tyler's  Rising.     With  8  full-page  Illustra- 
tions by  W.  H.  MARGETSON.    12mo,  $1.50. 

The  story  of  Wat  Tyler's  Rebellion  is  but  little  known,  but  the  hero 
of  this  story  passes  through  that  perilous  time  and  takes  part  in  the 
civil  war  in  Flanders  which  followed  soon  after.  Although  young  he 
is  thrown  into  many  exciting  and  dangerous  adventures,  through  which 
he  passes  with  great  coolness  and  much  credit. 


BOOKS   FOR    YOUNG   PEOPLE 


BY  G,  A,  HENTY 

"No  country  nor  epoch  of  history  is  there  which  Mr.  Henty  does  not 
know,  and  what  is  really  remarkable  is  that  he  always  writes  well  and 
interestingly."— New  York  Times. 


WITH  MOORE  AT  CORUNNA 

A  Story  of  the  Peninsular  War.  With  12  full-page  Illustra- 
tions by  WAL  PAGET.  13mo,  $1.50. 

Terence  O'Connor  is  living  with  his  widowed  father,  Captain  O'Con- 
nor of  the  Mayo  Fusiliers,  with  the  regiment  at  the  time  when  the 
Peninsular  war  began.  Upon  the  regiment  being  ordered  to  Spain, 
Terence  gets  appointed  as  aid  to  one  of  the  generals  of  a  division.  By 
his  bravery  and  great  usefulness  throughout  the  war,  he  is  rewarded 
by  a  commission  as  colonel  in  the  Portuguese  army  and  there  rendered 
great  service. 

AT  AGINCOURT 

A.  Tale  of  the  White  Hoods  of  Paris.  With  12  full-page 
Illustrations  by  WALTER  PAGET.  Crown  8vo,  olivine 
edges,  $1.50. 

The  story  begins  in  a  grim  feudal  castle  in  Normandie.  The  times 
were  troublous,  and  soon  the  king  compelled  Lady  Margaret  de  Villeroy 
•with  her  children  to  go  to  Paris  as  hostages.  Guy  Aylmer  went  with 
her.  Paris  was  turbulent.  Soon  the  guild  of  the  butchers,  adopting 
white  hoods  as  their  uniform,  seized  the  city,  and  besieged  the  house 
where  our  hero  and  his  charges  lived.  After  desperate  fighting,  the 
white  hoods  were  beaten  and  our  hero  and  his  charges  escaped  from 
the  city,  and  from  France. 

WITH  COCHRANE  THE  DAUNTLESS 

A  Tale  of  the  Exploits  of  Lord  Cochrane  in  South  American 
Waters.  With  12  full-page  Illustrations  by  W.  H. 
MARGETSON.  Crown  8vo,  olivine  edges,  $1.50. 

The  hero  of  this  story  accompanies  Cochrane  as  midshipman,  and 
serves  in  the  war  between  Chili  and  Peru.  He  has  many  exciting 
adventures  in  battles  by  sea  and  land,  is  taken  prisoner  and  condemned 
to  death  by  the  Inquisition,  but  escapes  by  a  long  and  thrilling  flight 
across  South  America  and  down  the  Amazon. 

ON  THE  IRRAWADDY 

A  Story  of  the  First  Burmese  War.  With  8  full  page  Illus- 
trations by  W.  H.  OVEREND.  Crown  8vo,  olivine  edges, 
$1.50. 

The  hero,  having  an  uncle,  a  trader  on  the  Indian  and  Burmese 
rivers,  goes  out  to  join  him.  Soon  after,  war  is  declared  by  Burmah 
against  England  and  he  is  drawn  into  it.  He  has  many  experiences 
and  narrow  escapes  in  battles  and  in  scouting.  With  half-a-dozen 
men  he  rescues  his  cousin  who  had  been  taken  prisoner,  and  in  the 
flight  they  are  besieged  in  an  old,  ruined  temple. 


BOOKS  FOR    YOUXQ   PEOPLE 


BY  G.  A.  HENTY 

"  Boys  like  stirring  adventures,  and  Mr.  Henty  is  a  master  of  this 
method  of  composition." — New  York  T:mes. 


THROUGH   RUSSIAN  SNOWS 

A  Story  of  Napoleon's  Retreat  from  Moscow.  With  8  fun- 
page  Illustrations  by  W.  H.  OVEREND  and  3  Maps.  Crowa 
8vo,  olivine  edges,  $1.50. 

The  hero,  Julian  Wyatt,  after  several  adventures  with  smugglers,  by 
whom  he  is  handed  over  a  prisoner  to  the  French,  regains  his  freedom 
and  joins  Napoleon's  army  in  the  Russian  campaign.  When  the  terrible 
retreat  begins,  Julian  finds  himself  in  the  rearguard  of  the  French  army, 
fighting  desperately.  Ultimately  he  escapes  out  of  the  general  disaster, 
and  returns  to  England. 

A   KNIGHT   OF    THE  WHITE  CROSS 

A  Tale  of  the  Siege  of  Rhodes.  With  12  full  page  Illustra- 
tions by  RALPH  PEACOCK,  and  a  Plan.  Crown  8vo,  olivine 
edges,  $1.50. 

Gervaise  Tresham,  the  hero  of  this  story,  joins  the  Order  of  the 
Knights  of  St.  John,  and  proceeds  to  the  stronghold  of  Rhodes.  Sub- 
sequently he  is  appointed  commander  of  a  war-galley,  and  in  his  first 
voyage  destroys  a  fleet  of  Moorish  corsairs.  During  one  of  his  cruises 
the  young  knight  is  attacked  on  shore,  captured  after  a  desperate 
struggle,  and  sold  into  slavery  in  Tripoli.  He  succeeds  in  escaping,  and 
returns  to  Rhodes  in  time  to  take  part  in  the  defense  of  that  fortress. 

THE   TIGER   OF   MYSORE 

A  Story  of  the  War  with  Tippoo  Saib.  With  12  full-page 
Illustrations  by  W.  H.  MAKGETSON,  and  a  Map.  Crown 
8vo,  olivine  edges,  $1.50. 

Dick  Holland,  whose  father  is  supposed  to  be  a  captive  of  Tippoo 
Saib,  goes  to  India  to  help  him  to  escape.  He  joins  the  army  under 
Lord  Cornwallis,  and  takes  part  in  the  campaign  againt  Tippoo. 
Afterwards  he  assumes  a  disguise,  enters  Seringapatam,  and  at  last 
he  discovers  his  father  in  the  great  stronghold  of  Savandroog.  The 
hazardous  rescue  is  at  length  accomplished,  and  the  young  fellow'e 
dangerous  mission  is  done. 

IN  THE  HEART  OF  THE  ROCKIES 

A  Story  of  Adventure  in  Colorado.  By  G.  A.  HENTY.  With 
8  full-page  Illustrations  by  G.  C.  HINDLEY.  Crown  8vo, 
olivine  edges,  $1.50. 

The  hero,  Tom  Wade,  goes  to  seek  his  uncle  in  Colorado,  who  Is  a 
hunter  and  gold-digger,  and  he  is  discovered,  after  many  dangers,  out 
on  the  Plains  with  some  comrades.  Going  in  quest  of  a  gold  mine,  the 
little  band  is  spied  by  Indians,  chased  across  the  Bad  Lauds,  and 
overwhelmed  by  a  snowstorm  in  the  mountains. 


BOORS  FOR    YOUN9   PEOPLE 


BY  G.  A.  HENTY 

"Mr.  Henty  is  one  of  the  best  story-tellers  for  young  people." 

— Spectator. 


WHEN   LONDON   BURNED 

A  Story  of  the  Plague  and  the  Fire.  By  G.  A.  HENTY.  With 
12  full-page  Illustrations  by  J.  FINNEMORE.  Crown  8vo, 
olivine  edges,  $1.50. 

The  hero  of  this  story  was  the  son  of  a  nobleman  who  had  lost  his 
estates  during  the  troublous  times  of  the  Commonwealth.  During  the 
Great  Plague  aud  the  Great  Fire,  Cyril  was  prominent  among  those 
who  brought  help  to  the  panic-stricken  inhabitants. 

WULF  THE  SAXON 

A  Story  of  the  Norman  Conquest.  By  G.  A.  HENTY.  With 
12  full-page  Illustrations  by  RALPH  PEACOCK.  Crown 
8vo,  olivine  edges,  $1.50. 

The  hero  is  a  young  thane  who  wins  the  favor  of  Earl  Harold  and 
becomes  one  of  his  retinue.  When  Harold  becomes  King  of  England 
Wulf  assists  in  the  Welsh  wars,  and  takes  part  against  the  Norsemen 
at  the  Battle  of  Stamford  Bridge.  When  William  of  Normandy  in- 
vades England,  Wulf  is  with  the  English  host  at  Hastings,  and  stands 
by  his  king  to  the  last  in  the  mighty  struggle. 

ST.  BARTHOLOMEW'S  EVE 

A  Tale  of  the  Huguenot  Wars.  By  G.  A.  HENTY.  With  12 
full-page  Illustrations  by  H.  J.  DRAPER,  and  a  Map. 
Crown  8vo,  olivine  edges,  $1.50. 

The  hero,  Philip  Fletcher,  has  a  French  connection  on  his  mother's 
side.  This  induces  him  to  cross  the  Channel  in  order  to  take  a  share 
in  the  Huguenot  wars.  Naturally  he  sides  with  the  Protestants,  dis- 
tinguishes himself  in  various  battles,  and  receives  rapid  promotion  for 
the  zeal  and  daring  with  which  he  carries  out  several  secret  missions. 

THROUGH  THE  SIKH  WAR 

A  Tale  of  the  Conquest  of  the  Punjaub.  By  G.  A.  HENTY. 
With  12  full-pige  illustrations  by  HAL  HURST,  and  a 
Map.  Crown  8vo,  olivine  edges,  $1.50. 

Percy  Groves,  a  spirited  English  lad,  joins  his  uncle  in  the  Punjaub, 
where  the  natives  are  in  a  state  of  revolt.  Percy  joins  the  British 
force  as  a  volunteer,  and  takes  a  distinguished  share  in  the  famous 
battles  of  the  Punjaub. 


BOOKS  FOR    YOUAG   PEOPLE 


BY  G.  A.  HENTY 

'*  The  brightest  of  the  living  writers  whose  office  it  is  to  enchant  the 
boys. — Christian  Leader. 


A  JACOBITE  EXILE 

Being  the  Adventures  of  a  Young  Englishman  in  the  Service 

of  Charles  XII.  of  Sweden.     By  G.  A.   HENTY.  With  8 

full-page  Illustrations  by  PAUL  HARDY,  and  a  Map.  Crown 
8vo,  olivine  edges,  $1.50. 

Sir  Marmaduke  Carstairs,  a  Jacobite,  is  the  victim  of  a  conspiracy,  and 
he  is  denounced  as  a  plotter  against  the  life  of  King  William.  He  flies 
to  Sweden,  accompanied  by  his  son  Charlie.  This  youth  joins  the 
foreign  legion  under  Charles  XII.,  and  takes  a  distinguished  part  in 
several  famous  campaigns  against  the  Russians  and  Poles, 

CONDEMNED  AS  A  NIHILIST 

A  Story  of  Escape  from  Siberia.  By  G.  A.  HENTY.  With  8 
full-page  Illustrations.  Crown  8vo,  olivine  edges,  $1.50. 

The  hero  of  this  story  is  an  English  boy  resident  in  St.  Petersburg. 
Through  two  student  friends  he  becomes  innocently  involved  in 
various  political  plots,  resulting  in  his  seizure  by  the  Russian  police 
and  his  exile  to  Siberia.  He  ultimately  escapes,  and,  after  many  ex- 
citing adventures,  he  reaches  Norway,  and  thence  home,  after  a 
perilous  journey  which  lasts  nearly  two  years. 

BERIC  THE  BRITON 

A  Story  of  the  Roman  Invasion.  By  G.  A.  HENTY.  With 
12  full-page  Illustrations  by  W.  PARKINSON.  Crown  8vo, 
olivine  edges,  $1.50. 

This  story  deals  with  the  invasion  of  Britain  by  the  Roman  legionaries. 
Beric,  who  is  a  boy-chief  of  a  British  tribe,  takes  a  prominent  part  in 
the  insurrection  under  Boadicea ;  and  after  the  defeat  of  that  heroic 
queen  (in  A.  D.  62)  he  continues  the  struggle  in  the  fen-country. 
Ultimately  Beric  is  defeated  and  carried  captive  to  Rome,  where  he  is 
trained  in  the  exercise  of  arms  iu  a  school  of  gladiators.  At  length  he 
returus  to  Britain,  where  he  becomes  ruler  of  his  own  people. 

IN  GREEK  WATERS 

A  Story  of  the  Grecian  War  of  Independence  (1821-1827).  By 
G.  A.  HENTY.  With  12  full-page  Illustrations  by  W.  S. 
STAGEY,  and  a  Map.  Crown  8vo,  olivine  edges,  $1.50. 

Deals  with  the  revolt  of  the  Greeks  in  1821  against  Turkish  oppres- 
sion. Mr.  Beverid^e  and  his  son  Horace  fit  out  a  privateer,  load  it 
with  military  stores,  and  set  sail  for  Greece.  They  rescue  the  Chris- 
tians, relieve  the  captive  Greeks,  and  fight  the  Turkish  war  vessels. 


BOOKS  FOR    YOUNG    PEOPLE 


BY  G. A.  HENTY 

"  No  living  writer  of  books  for  boys  writes  to  better  purpose  than 
Mr.  G.  A.  Henty."— Philadelphia  Press. 


THE  DASH  FOR  KHARTOUM 

A  Tale  of  the  Nile  Expedition.  By  G.  A.  HENTY.  With  10 
full-page  Illustrations  by  JOHN  SCHQNBERG  and  J.  NASH. 
Crown  8vo,  olivine  edges,  $1.50. 

In  the  record  of  recent  British  history  there  is  no  more  captivating 
page  for  boys  than  the  story  of  the  Nile  campaign,  and  the  attempt  to 
rescue  General  Gordon.  For,  in  the  difficulties  which  the  expedition 
encountered,  in  the  perils  which  it  overpassed,  and  in  its  final  tragic 
disappointments,  are  found  all  the  excitements  of  romance,  as  well  as 
the  fascination  which  belongs  to  real  events. 

REDSKIN  AND  COW-BOY 

A  Tale  of  the  Western  Plains.  By  G.  A.  HENTY.  With  12 
full-page  Illustrations  by  ALFRED  PEARSE.  Crown  8vo, 
olivine  edges,  $1.50. 

The  central  interest  of  this  story  is  found  in  the  many  adventures  of 
an  English  lad,  who  seeks  employment  as  a  cow-boy  on  a  cattle  ranch. 
His  experiences  during  a  "  round-up  "  present  in  picturesque  form  the 
toilsome,  exciting,  adventurous  life  of  a  cow-boy  ;  while  the  perils  of  a 
frontier  settlement  are  vividly  set  forth  in  an  Indian  raid. 


HELD  FAST  FOR  ENGLAND 

A  Tale  of  the  Siege  of  Gibraltar.  By  G.  A.  HENTY.  With 
8  fall-page  Illustrations  by  GORDON  BROWNE.  Crown  8vo, 
olivine  edges,  $1.50. 

This  story  deals  with  one  of  the  most  memorable  sieges  in  history — 
the  siege  of  Gibraltar  in  1779-83  by  the  united  forces  of  France  and 
Spain.  With  land  forces,  fleets,  and  floating  batteries,  the  combined 
resources  of  two  great  nations,  this  grim  fortress  was  vainly  besieged 
and  bombarded.  The  hero  of  the  tale,  an  English  lad  resident  in 
Gibraltar,  takes  a  brave  and  worthy  part  in  the  long  defence,  and  it  is 
through  his  varied  experiences  that  we  learn  with  what  bravery,  re- 
source, and  tenacity  the  Rock  was  held  for  England. 


NOTE. — For  a  list  or  Henty  Books  at  popular  prices,  see  the 
following  page. 


BOOKS  FOR  YOUNG  PEOPLE 


By  G.  A.  HENTY 

The   following   copyrighted    Henty  Books  are 
also  issued  in  a  cheap  edition 


A  ROVING 

COMMISSION 

WON  BY  THE  SWORD 
OUT  WITH  GARIBALDI 
IN  FREEDOM'S  CAUSE 

*WITH  LEE  IN 

VIRGINIA 

WITH  WOLFE  IN 

CANADA 
THE  LION  OF  ST.  MARK 

IN    THE    REIGN    OF 

TERROR 

NO    SURRENDER 

UNDER   WELLING- 
TON'S   COMMAND 

WITH   FREDERICK 

THE    GREAT 

AT   ABOUKIR   AND 

ACRE 

BOTH    SIDES    THE 

BORDER 

A  MARCH  ON  LONDON 

WITH    MOORE   AT 

CORUNNA 

AT   AGINCOURT 

COCHRANE   THE 

DAUNTLESS 

ON  THE   IRRAWADDY 


WITH    BULLER    IN 

NATAL 

IN    THE    IRISH 

BRIGADE 

THROUGH    RUSSIAN 

SNOWS 

A   KNIGHT    OF   THE 

WHITE    CROSS 

THE   TIGER    OF 

MYSORE 

IN    THE    HEART    OF 

THE    ROCKIES 

WHEN    LONDON 

BURNED 

WULF   THE    SAXON 

ST.  BARTHOLOMEW'S 
EVE 

THROUGH   THE   SIKH 
WAR 

A  JACOBITE    EXILE 

CONDEMNED    AS    A 

NIHILIST 

BERIC   THE   BRITON 
IN    GREEK   WATERS 

THE   DASH    FOR 

KHARTOUM 

REDSKIN    AND 

COWBOY 

HELD    FAST    FOR 

ENGLAND 


BOOKS     FOR    BOYS 

BY 

CAPTAIN    F.   S.    BRERETON 

Captain  Brereton's  stories  for  boys  rank,  in  England,  with 
Mr.  Henty's.  Captain  Brereton,  like  Mr.  Henty,  builds  up  stir- 
ring tales  of  adventure  against  a  background  of  fact,  and  he  is 
equally  skillful  in  the  construction  of  his  exciting  plots  and  the 
reconstruction  of  a  true  historical  atmosphere.  His  books  deserve 
here  the  great  popularity  they  enjoy  in  England. 


IN  THE  GRIP   OF   THE   MULLAH 

A   Tale  of  Adventure   in   Somaliland.       Illustrated.      $1.20    net 
(postage,  16c.). 

FOES  OF   THE  RED   COCKADE 

A  Story  of  the    French   Revolution.       Illustrated.       $1.20    net 
(postage,  16c.). 

IN   THE   KING'S   SERVICE 

A  Talc  of  Cromwell's  Invasion  of  Ireland.    Illustrated.    12mo,  $1.50. 

ONE   OF   THE  FIGHTING  SCOUTS 

A  Tale  of  Guerilla  Warfare  in  South  Africa.     Illustrated.     12mo, 
$1.50. 

WITH   RIFLE  AND    BAYONET 

A  Tale  of  Mafeking  and  Ladysmith.     Illustrated.     12mo,  $1.50. 

THE   DRAGON  OF   PEKIN 

A  Story  of  the  Boxers'  Revolt.     Illustrated.     12mo,  $1.50. 

A    GALLANT   GRENADIER 

A  Tale  of  the  Crimean  War.     Illustrated.     12mo,  $1.50. 

UNDER  THE  SPANGLED  BANNER 

A  Tale  of  the  Spanish- American  War.     Illustrated.     12mo,  $1.50. 


BOYS  OF  THE  SERVICE 


BY 


CYRUS    TOWNSEND    BRADY 


A  MIDSHIPMAN   IN  THE   PACIFIC 

The  Story  of  a  Kidnapped  American  Boy.     By  CYRUS  TOWNSEND 
BRADY.     Illustrated.     12mo,  $1.20  net  (postage,  14c.). 

The  young  hero  of  Mr.  Brady's  new  book  in  the  "Boys  of  the  Service" 
series  is  kidnapped  in  a  British  whaler  on  the  South  Pacific.  The 
wreck  of  the  whaler,  the  lad's  voyage  in  an  open  boat  until  he  is  rescued 
by  the  trading  vessel  the  Tonquirc,  the  capture  of  the  Tonqnire  by  the 
Indians  and  the  massacre  of  the  crew,  the  escape  of  the  boy  to  sea  and 
his  rescue  by  another  British  whaler,  which  is  captured,  are  set  forth  in 
Mr.  Brady's  liveliest  manner.  The  book  is  both  entertaining  and  instruc- 
tive in  that  it  gives  an  accurate  picture  of  the  life  on  the  whalers  and  on 
the  United  States  warships  of  a  hundred  years  ago.  The  story  is  illus- 
trated and  is  uniform  with  "In  the  Wasp's  Nest"  and  uln  the  War 
with  Mexico." 


IN  THE  WAR  WITH   MEXICO 

A  Midshipman's  Adventures  on  Sea  and  Shore.     By  CYRUS  TOWN- 
SEND  BRADY.     Illustrated  by  W.  T.  AYLWARD.     $1.20  net. 

"Adventures  afloat  and  ashore — good,  patriotic  adventures,  too — are 

the  things  Mr.  Brady  tells  of  in  this  story His  book  is  one 

to  stir  the   blood  of  every  boy  aud  make  him  rejoice  that  he  is  an 
American." — Nashville  American. 


IN  THE  WASP'S   NEST 

By  CYRUS  TOWNSEND  BRADY.     Illustrated  by  RUFUS  F.  ZOGBAUM. 
$1.20  net. 

"  When  Cyrus  Townsend  Brady  sets  out  to  tell  a  story  of  adventure 
and  fighting  at  sea  it  can  be  depended  on  as  a  breezy  narrative  that  will 
stir  the  pulses  of  the  reader  who  enjoys  that  kind  of  tale.  If  addressed 
particularly  to  boys  there  is  a  feast  in  prospect  to  all  boys  of  healthy 
natures.  'In  the 'Wasp's  Nest'  is  a  rattling  good  story  of  this  kind." 

—  Cleveland  Plain  Dealer. 


BOOKS    BY    PAUL    DU    CHAILLU 


IN  AFRICAN  FOREST   AND  JUNGLE 

By  PAUL  Du  CHAILLU.     With  24  illustrations  by  VICTOR  PERARD. 
$1.50  net. 

"  A  good,  healthy  book  that  is  full  of  manly  sentiment  and  stirring 

adventure The  book  tells  of  adventures  that  will  never  lose 

their  charm,  and  the  style  is  good  and  clear.     There  is  nothing  wishy- 
washy  about  it.     It  makes  admirable  reading." — Baltimore  Sun. 


KING  MOMBO 

By   PAUL  Du   CHAILLU,    author  of   "The    World    of  the   Great 
Forest,"  etc.     With  24  illustrations.     $1.50  net. 

"A  fascinating  story  of  exploration  in  Africa  as  it  was  in  the  days 
before  Stanley  made  the  Dark  Continent  so  familiar." 

—Philadelphia  Press. 


THE  LAND   OF  THE   LONG  NIGHT 

By  PAUL  Du  CHAILLU.     With  24  full-page  illustrations  by  W.  J. 
BURNS.     Square  12mo,  $2.00. 

"  Happy  is  the  winter  evening  of  that  young  person  who,  forgetting 
time  and  space  and  the  household  gods  about  him,  goes  forth  into 
strange  countries  with  Paul  Du  Chaillu.  For  that  most  kindly  of 
travelers  has  in  narrative  a  beguiling  simplicity  and  realism  which 
enable  him  to  hold  his  readers  closely  to  the  end." 

— New  York  Tribune. 


THE  WORLD  OF  THE  GREAT  FOREST 

How  Animals,  Birds,  Reptiles,  and  Insects  Talk,  Think,  Work,  and 
Live.  By  PAUL  Du  CHAILLU.  With  over  50  illustrations  by 
C.  R.  KNIGHT  and  J.  M.  GLEESOV.  8vo,  $2.00. 

"  Mr.  Du  Chaillu  has  the  rare  gift  of  being  able  to  endow  the  lower 
animals  with  very  pleasant  and  interesting  personalities.  And  when  you 
have  finished  his  book  you  feel  that  you  have  added  materially  to  the 
list  of  your  acquaintances." — New  York  Evening  Sun. 


HOOKS  FOR  JO  UNO  PEOPLE 


A  List  of  Books  by 
Kirk  Munroe 

A  SON  OF  SATSUMA 

Or,  with  Perry  in  Japan.     By  KIRK  MUNROE.     With  12  illus- 
trations by  HARRY  0.  EDWARDS.     $1.00  net. 

This  absorbing  story  for  boys  deals  with  one  of  the  most  interesting 
episodes  in  our  National  history.  From  the  beginning  Japan  has  been  a 
land  of  mystery.  Foreigners  were  permitted  to  land  only  at  certain 
points  on  her  shores,  and  nothing  whatever  was  known  of  her  civilization 
and  history,  her  romance  and  magnificence,  her  wealth  and  art.  It  was 
Commodore  Perry  who  opened  her  gates  to  the  world,  thus  solving  the 
mystery  of  the  ages,  and,  in  this  thrilling  story  of  an  American  boy  in 
Japan  at  that  period,  the  spirit  as  well  as  the  history  of  this  great 
achievement  is  ably  set  forth. 


IN  PIRATE  WATERS 

A  Tale  of  the  American  Navy.     Illustrated  by  I.  W.  TABER. 
12ino,  SI. 25. 

The  hero  of  the  story  becomes  a  midshipman  in  the  navy  just  at  the 
time  of  the  war  with  Tripoli.  His  own  wild  adventures  among  the 
Turks  and  his  love  romance  are  thoroughly  interwoven  with  the  stirring 
history  of  that  time. 


WITH  CROCKETT  AND  BOWIE 

Or,  Fighting  for  the-  Lone  Star  Flag.     A  Tale  of  Texas.     By 
KIRK  MUNROE.     With  8  full-page  Illustrations  by  VICTOR 
Crown  8vo.     $1.25. 


The  story  is  of  the  Texas  revolution  in  1835,  when  American  Texans 
under  Sam  Houston,  Bowie,  Crockett,  and  Travis  fought  for  relief  from 
the  intolerable  tyranny  of  the  Mexican  Santa  Ana.  The  hero,  Rex 
Hardin,  son  of  a  Texan  ranchman  and  graduate  of  an  American  military 
school,  takes  a  prominent  part  in  the  heroic  defense  of  the  Alamo,  and 
the  final  triumph  at  San  Jacinto. 


BOOKS  FOR  YOUNG  PEOPLE 


BY  KIRK  MUNROE 

THROUGH  SWAMP  AND  GLADE 

A  Tale  of  the  Seminole  War.  By  KIRK  MUNROE.  With  8 
full -page  Illustrations1  by  V.  PERARD.  Crown  8vo,  $1.25. 

Coacoochee,  the  hero  of  the  story,  is  the  son  of  Philip,  the  chieftain  of 
the  Seminoles.  He  grows  up  to  lead  his  tribe  in  the  long  struggle  which 
resulted  in  the  Indians  being  driven  from  the  north  of  Florida  down  to 
the  distant  southern  wilderness. 

AT  WAR  WITH  PONTIAC 

Or,  the  Totem  of  the  Bear.  A  Tale  of  Kedcoat  and  Redskin. 
By  KIRK  MUNROE.  With  8  full-page  illustrations  by  J. 
FINNEMORE.  Crown  8vo,  $1.25. 

A  story  when  the  shores  of  Lake  Erie  were  held  by  hostile  Indians. 
The  hero,  Donald  Hester,  goes  in  search  of  his  sister  Edith,  who  has 
been  captured  by  the  Indians.  Strange  and  terrible  are  his  experiences; 
for  he  is  wounded,  taken  prisoner,  condemned  to  be  burned,  but  contrives 
to  escape.  In  the  end  all  things  terminate  happily. 


THE  WHITE  CONQUERORS 

A  Tale  of  Toltec  and  Aztec.     By  KIRK  MUNROE.    With  8  full- 
page  Illustrations.     Crown  8vo,  $1.25. 

This  story  deals  with  the  conquest  of  Mexico  by  Cortez  and  his  Span- 
iards, the  "  White  Conquerors,"  who,  after  many  deeds  of  valor,  pushed 
their  way  into  the  great  Aztec  kingdom  and  established  their  power  in 
the  wondrous  city  where  Montezuma  reigned  in  splendor. 


MIDSHIPMAN   STUART 

Or,  the  Last  Cruise  of  the  Essex.      A  Tale  of  the  War  of 
1812.     Illustrated.     12mo,  $1.25. 

This  is  an  absorbing  story  of  life  in  the  American  Navy  during  the 
stirring  times  of  our  war  of  1812.  The  very  spirit  of  the  period  is  in  its 
pages,  and  many  of  the  adventures  of  the  Essex  are  studied  from  history. 


THE     BEARD     BOOKS 
FOR    GIRLS 

BY 

LINA    AND    ADELIA    B.    BEARD 


HANDICRAFT   AND    RECREATION    FOR 
GIRLS 

By  LINA  AND  ADELIA  B.  BEARD.  With  illustrations.  8vo,  $1.60 
net  (postage  extra). 

This  new  and  elaborate  book  for  girls,  by  Lina  and  Adelia  Beard, 
whose  previous  books  on  girls'  sports  have  become  classic,  combines  a 
mass  of  practical  instruction  on  handicrafts  and  recreations.  The  prac- 
tice of  the  handicrafts  as  here  presented  by  the  authors  will  be  found  as 
diverting  as  the  recreations  which  make  up  the  second  half  of  the  book. 
The  subject-matter  of  both  handicrafts  and  recreations  is  entirely  new 
and  offers  a  rich  storehouse  of  amusement  for  summer  days  and  winter 
evenings.  The  illustrations  number  over  seven  hundred  text  and  full- 
page  drawings,  which  elucidate  the  text  in  the  most  informing  way.  No 
more  charming  gift-book  for  girls  could  be  desired. 

WHAT  A  GIRL  CAN   MAKE  AND   DO 

New  Ideas  for  Work  and  Play.  By  LINA  AND  ADELIA  B.  BEARD. 
With  over  300  illustrations  by  the  authors.  Square  8vo, 
$1.60  net. 

"This  book  is  filled  full  of  ideas  and  drawings  original  with  the 
authors  themselves,  and  it  would  be  a  dull  girl  who  could  not  make 
herself  busy  and  happy  following  its  precepts.  ...  A  most  inspiring 
book  for  an  active-minded  girl." — Chicago  Record-Herald. 

THE  AMERICAN    GIRL'S    HANDY  BOOK 

Or,  How  to  Amuse  Yourself  and  Others.  By  LINA  AND  ADELIA 
B.  BEARD.  14th  Thousand.  With  more  than  300  illustra- 
tions by  the  authors.  Square  8vo,  $2.00. 

"It  is  a  treasure  which,  once  possessed,  no  practical  girl  would  will- 
ingly part  with.  It  is  an  invaluable  aid  in  making  a  home  attractive, 
comfortable,  artistic,  and  refined." — GRACE  GREENWOOD. 


THE  BEARD  BOOKS 
FOR  BOYS 

By  DANIEL   C.   BEARD 


u  To  make  a  good  book  for  boys,  and  more  particularly  a  good  book 
about  boys'  sports,  one  needs  to  be  a  good  deal  of  a  boy  himself.  Mr. 
D.  C.  Beard  has  just  this  qualification.  He  gets  the  boy's  point  of  view, 
the  boy's  sense  of  fun,  the  boy's  love  for  what  is  new,  ingenious,  or 
queer." 


THE  JACK   OF  ALL  TRADES 

Or,  New  Ideas  for  American  Boys.     By  DANIEL  C.  BEARD.     Pro- 
fusely illustrated  by  the  author.     Square  8vo,  $2.00. 

"Mr.  Beard  is  a  good  deal  of  a  boy  himself,  as  all  who  know  him 
realize.  He  has  the  boy's  enthusiasm,  the  boy's  love  of  out-of-door 
sports,  and  the  boy's  desire  to  make  some  new  thing.  This  book  is  a 
capital  one  to  give  any  boy  for  a  present  at  Christmas,  on  a  birthday,  or 
indeed  at  any  time.  It  tells  how  to  make  tree-top  club  houses,  boys' 
houseboats,  switchbacks,  home-made  circuses,  panoramas,  and  dozens  of 
other  things/'—  The  Outlook. 


THE  OUTDOOR   HANDY   BOOK 

For  Playground,  Field,  and  Forest.  By  D.  C.  BEARD.  New 
edition  of  "The  American  Boy's  Book  of  Sport."  Profusely 
illustrated.  Square  8vo,  $2.00. 

"It  tells  how  to  play  all  sorts  of  games  with  marbles,  how  to  make 
and  spin  more  kinds  of  tops  than  most  boys  ever  heard  of,  how  to  make 
the  latest  things  in  plain  and  fancy  kites,  where  to  dig  bait  and  how  to 
fish,  all  about  boats  and  sailing,  and  a  host  of  other  things  which  c°.n  be 
done  outdoors.  The  volume  is  profusely  illustrated  and  will  be  an 
unmixed  delight  to  any  boy." — New  York  Tribune. 


THE    AMERICAN    BOY'S    HANDY    BOOK 

Or,  What  To  Do  and  How  To  Do  It.     By  D.  C.  BEARD.     35th 
Thousand.     Profusely  illustrated.     Square  8vo,  $2.00. 

"  The  book  has  this  great  advantage  over  its  predecessors,  that  most 
of  the  games,  tricks,  and  other  amusements  described  in  it  are  new.  It 
treats  of  sports  adapted  to  all  seasons  of  the  year  ;  it  is  practical,  and  it 
is  well  illustrated." — New  York  Tribune, 


ERNEST    THOMPSON     SETON'S 

NATURE   STORIES 


MONARCH,  THE  BIG  BEAR  OF  TALAC 

By  ERNEST  THOMPSON  SETON.     With  numerous  drawings  by  Mr. 

SETON  in  half-tone  and  line,  marginal  illustrations,  etc.     12mo, 

probably  $1.25  net  (postage  extra). 

This  story  is  one  of  the  most  intimate  animal  studies,  as  well  as  one  of 
the  most  thrilling  stories,  Mr.  Seton  has  ever  written.  It  is  a  return,  in 
kind,  to  his  earlier  manner,  that,  for  instance,  of  the  tales  in  his  u  Wild 
Animals  I  Have  Known."  Mr.  Seton  has  made  eight  full-page  wash- 
drawings  and  nearly  a  hundred  of  his  characteristic  line  marginals  to 
illustrate  the  story,  which  is  double  the  length  of  "  The  Trail  of  the 
Sandhill  Stag,"  and,  like  that  celebrated  tale,  will  appear  by  itself  in  a 
beautiful  small  quarto  volume,  profusely  decorated  and  printed  in  two 
colors. 

WILD  ANIMALS    I   HAVE   KNOWN 

Being  the  Personal  Histories  of  Lobo  the  Wolf,  Silverspot  the 
Crow,  Raggylug  the  Rabbit,  Bingo  my  Dog,  The  Springfield 
Fox,  The  Pacing  Mustang,  Wully  the  Yaller  Dog,  and  Red- 
ruff  the  Partridge.  With  200  illustrations  from  drawings  by 
the  author.  Square  12mo,  $2.00. 

"  It  should  be  put  with  Kipling  and  Hans  Christian  Andersen  as  a 
classic." — The  Athenaeum. 

"  Mr.  Thompson  is  now  drawing  the  best  mammals  of  any  American 
artist.     .     .     .     This  is  artistic  fidelity  to  nature  in  high  degree.     .     . 
Nothing  of  equal  simplicity  could  be  more  effective  than  these  little 
marginal  oddities  and  whimsies.     The  book  is  thoroughly  good,  both  in 
purpose  and  execution." — New  York  Evening  Post. 

LIVES  OF   THE   HUNTED 

Author  of  "Wild  Animals  I  Have  Known,"  etc.  Illustrated  with 
more  than  200  drawings  by  the  author.  $1.75  net. 

"  The  breadth  of  Mr.  Seton-Thompson's  sympathy  is  the  finest  charm 
of  his  work." — Agnes  Repplier,  in  Saturday  Evening  Post. 

"  Every  admirer  of  Ernest  Seton-Thompson's  animal  stories  will  hail 
with  pleasure  his  new  volume,  '  Lives  of  the  Hunted,'  which  is  a  collec- 
tion of  the  same  nature  as  '  Wild  Animals  I  Have  Known '  and  shows 
the  same  sympathetic  insight  and  genuine  literary  touch.  His  stories 
are  as  truly  literature  as  'The  Jungle  Books. "—Chicago  Record-Herald, 

THE  TRAIL  OF   THE   SANDHILL   STAG 

Written  and  illustrated  with  60  drawings  by  the  author.  Square 
12mo,  $1.50. 

"Bliss  Carman,  speaking  of  '  The  Trail  of  the  Sandhill  Stag,'  says  :  '  I 
had  fancied  that  no  one  could  touch  '  The  Jungle  Book '  for  a  generation 
at  least,  but  Mr.  Thompson  has  done  it.  We  must  give  him  place  among 
the  young  masters  at  once.'  And  we  agree  with  Mr.  Carman." 

— The  Bookman. 


CHILDREN'S    CLASSICS 

IN    UNIFORM    STYLE 


RHYMES  AND  JINGLES 

By  MARY  MAPES  DODGE.     A  new  edition.     With  many  illustra- 
tions by  SARAH  S.  STILWELL.     12mo,  $1.50  (postage,  10c.). 

Mrs.  Dodge  has  contributed  no  fewer  than  eighteen  new  poems  to 
this  illustrated  edition  of  her  famous  book  of  verse  for  children, 
"Rhymes  and  Jingles."  Many  of  the  old  verses  have  been  revised  and 
in  a  few  instances  virtually  rewritten.  The  essential  spirit,  however, 
of  the  original  book,  which  made  it  beloved  by  young  readers  the 
country  over,  remains  the  same,  and  will  commend  it  to  a  wide  circle  of 
new  readers.  Miss  StilwelFs  illustrations  and  decorations,  poetic,  fanci- 
ful, humorous,  realistic,  are  in  a  d  sirable  harmony  with  the  text. 
Superficially  and  in  the  general  scheme  of  illustration,  the  book  is  uni- 
form with  a  A  Child's  Garden  of  Verses  "  and  "  Lullaby  Land." 

THE   BOOK  OF  JOYOUS  CHILDREN 

By   JAMES   WHITCOMB   RILEV.        Profusely    illustrated    by  WILL 
VAWTER.     12mo,  $1.20  net. 

"There  is  not  another  author  living  who  can  do  this  kind  of  writing 
with  anything  like  Mr.  Riley's  droll  humor  and  keen  appreciation  of  boy 
nature.  The  new  book  promises  to  be  as  good  as  any  of  its  pred- 
ecessors. " —  Chicago  Record-Herald. 


LULLABY   LAND 

By  EUGENE  FIELD.  Selected,  with  an  introduction  by  KENNETH 
GRAHAME,  and  profusely  illustrated  by  CHARLES  ROBINSON. 
12mo,  $1.50. 

"  And  if  anybody  has  forgotten  just  how  a  dinky-bird  looks  he  will 
need  only  to  glance  at  Charles  Robinson's  illustration  of  it  to  recall  it 
perfectly — and  likewise  the  gingham  dog  and  the  calico  cat  who  ate  each 
other  up  one  night,  and  all  the  rest  of  the  interesting  friends  of  '  Pitty-Pat 
and  Tippy-Toe '  and  of  'Little  Boy  Blue.'  The  illustrations  are  abun- 
dant and  as  delightfully  whimsical  as  the  poems  themselves." 

—Chicago  Tribune. 

A  CHILD'S   GARDEN    OF  VERSES 

By  ROBERT  Louis  STEVENSON.  Profusely  and  beautifully  illus- 
trated by  CHARLES  ROBINSON.  12mo,  $1.50. 

"  A  delightful  little  book.  The  volume  is  a  wonder  for  the  vividness 
with  which  it  reproduces  early  impressions." — Henry  James. 

"  An  illustrated  '  Child's  Garden  '  wa.s  wanted,  and  no  one  could  desire 
anything  better  than  Mr.  Charles  Robinson's  illustrations.  ...  A 
prettier  book  for  Christmas  we  have  not  yet  seen,  nor  a  worthier." 

— Pall  Mall  Gazette. 


By  EUGENE  FIELD 


POEMS   OF   CHILDHOOD 

By  EUGENE  FIELD.   With  illustrations  in  colors  and  title- 
page  design  by  MAXFIELD  PARRISH.  Royal  8vo,  $2.50. 

The  text  of  this  sumptuous  volume  consists  of  all  of  the 
poems  in  the  two  volumes,  "  With  Trumpet  and  Drum  " 
and  "Lone  Songs  of  Childhood,"  together  with  one  or  two 
poems  from  other  books  by  Mr.  Field.  Mr.  Parrish's  con- 
tributions include  eight  full-page  illustrations  in  colors, 
together  with  designs  for  the  cover,  the  title-page,  and  the 
lining  paper,  also  reproduced  in  colors.  The  poems  which 
Mr.  Parrish  has  selected  for  illustration  reveal  the  author 
in  his  most  varied  moods — imaginative,  fanciful,  tender, 
grotesque,  and  humorous:  "With  Trumpet  and  Drum,'' 
"The  Sugar-Plum  Tree,"  "  Wynken,  Blynken,  and  Nod," 
"The  Little  Peach,"  "The  Dinkey  Boid,"  "The  Fly- Away 
Horse,"  "  Shuffle  Shoon  and  Amber  Locks,"  and  "  Seein' 
Things."  The  typography,  paper,  binding,  etc.,  of  the 
book  are  worthy  of  both  the  poet  and  the  illustrators. 


By  HOWARD  PYLE 


THE   STORY   OF   KING  ARTHUR  AND 
HIS    KNIGHTS 

By  HOWARD  PYLE,  author  of  "Robin  Hood,"  etc.  Pro- 
fusely illustrated  by  the  author.  8vo,  $2.50  net 
(postage  16c.). 

"  No  other  ancient  tale  is  so  resplendent  in  high  nobility 
or  sets  forth  before  man  such  lofty  standards  of  courage 
and  humility.  It  is  a  prose  poem  in  itself.  Howard  Pyle 
has  retold  the  old  story  in  idyllic  prose  and  the  Scribners 
have  given  it  a  form  befitting  its  merits.  The  profuse  illus- 
trations are  from  Mr.  Pyle's  pencil  and  in  the  medieval 
manner  most  harmonious  with  the  text.  The  result  is  a 
beautiful  volume,  attractive  in  all  respects." 

— Detroit  Free  Press. 


By  JESSIE   PEABODY   FROTHINGHAM 


SEA  WOLVES  OF  SEVEN  SHORES 

By  JESSIE  PEABODY  FROTHINGHAM,  author  of  "Sea  Fighters  from 
Drake  to  Farragut"  With  drawings  by  ATJDEN  KITTEREDGE 
DAWSON.  12mo,  $1.20  net  (postage  extra). 

Here  is  a  book  about  pirates,  from  Red  Beard  to  .the  Corsair  King, 
that  will  bring  delight  to  the  heart  of  every  boy  who  is  fortunate  enough 
to  secure  it.  It  is  history  from  the  best  and  most  reliable  sources  and 
it  is  romance  of  the  most  fascinating  kind.  The  author  knows,  as  few 
do,  how  to  make  the  most  of  a  good  story,  and  the  history  of  piracy 
affords  her  the  finest  opportunity  imaginable  for  the  effective  use  of  her 
talent.  The  illustrations  are  admirable  both  in  spirit  and  execution ; 
the  book  is  a  companion  to  Miss  Prothingham's  successful  book  of  last 
year,  "  Sea  Fighters  from  Drake  to  Farragut." 


SEA    FIGHTERS    FROM    DRAKE    TO 
FARRAGUT 

By  JESSIE  PEABODY  FROTHINGHAM.     Illustrations  by  REUTERDAHL. 
$1.20  net. 

"  A  book  which  deserves  every  attention  is  '  Sea  Fighters  from  Drake 
to  Farragut.'  The  author  has  used  her  material  to  present  a  series  of 
fascinating  sketches  of  these  illustrious  seamen.  Their  characteristic 
exploits  are  set  forth  with  interesting  emphasis.  The  book  will  make  a 
fine  addition  to  the  library  of  any  youth."—  Louisville  Courier-Journal. 


By  ARTHUR  STANWOOD   PIER 


BOYS  OF  ST.   TIMOTHY'S 

By  ARTHUR  STANWOOD  PIER.     Illustrated.     About  $1.25  net  (post- 
age extra). 

Clark  Harding,  the  principal  character  of  this  book,  is  the  worthy 
American  cousin  of  Tom  Brown;  St.  Timothy's  (which  will  be  recog- 
nized as  one  of  our  famous  schools)  is  the  worthy  American  peer  of 
Rugby  and  Eton.  The  stories,  in  their  conservative  and  cumulative 
interest,  display  the  best  qualities  of  boy  character — the  manliness, 
kindliness,  humor,  and  affection  of  the  American  boy.  No  phase  of 
modern  life  is  more  bright  with  promise  than  this  which  Mr.  Pier  faith- 
fully and  sympathetically  describes — the  education  and  development  of 
the  boys  in  our  best  schools. 


£OORS   FOR    YOUNG  PEOPLE 


BY  ROBERT  LEIGHTON 

"Mr.  Leighton's  place  is  in  the  front  rank  of  writers  of  boys'  books." 

—Standard. 


THE  GOLDEN  GALLEON 

Illustrated,  crow  n  8vo,  olivine  edges,  $1.50. 

This  is  a  story  of  Queen  Elizabeth's  time,  just  after  the  defeat  of  the 
Spanish  Armada.  Mr.  Leighton  introduces  in  his  work  the  great  sea- 
fighters  of  Plymouth  town — Hawkins,  Drake,  Raleigh,  and  Richard 
Grenville. 

OLAF  THE  GLORIOUS 

With  8  full-page  Illustrations  by  RALPH  PEACOCK.  Crown  8vo, 
olivine  edges,  $1.50. 

This  story  of  Olaf,  King  of  Norway,  opens  with  his  being  found  living 
as  a  bond-slave  in  Esthonia,  and  follows  him  through  his  romantic 
youth  in  Russia.  Then  come  his  adventures  as  a  Viking,  his  raids  upon 
the  coasts  of  Scotland  and  England,  and  his  conversion  to  Christianity. 
He  returns  to  Norway  as  king,  and  converts  his  people  to  the  Christian 
faith. 

WRECK  OF  "THE  GOLDEN  FLEECE" 

The  Story  of  a  North  Sea  Fisher-boy.  With  8  full-page  Illustra- 
tions by  FRANK  BRANGWYN.  Crown  8vo,  olivine  edges,  $1.50. 

The  hero  is  a  parson's  son  who  is  apprenticed  on  board  a  Lowestoft 
fishing  lugger.  The  lad  suffers  many  buffets  from  his  shipmates,  while 
the  storms  and  dangers  which  he  braved  are  set  forth  with  intense  power. 

THE  THIRSTY  SWORD 

A  Story  of  the  Norse  Invasion  of  Scotland  (1262-63).  With 
8  full-page  Illustrations  by  ALFRED  PEARSE,  and  a  Map. 
Crown  8vo,  olivine  edges,  $1.50. 

This  story  tells  how  Roderick  Mac  Alpin,  the  sea-rover,  came  to  the 
Isle  of  Bute;  how  he  slew  his  brothei  in  RothesayiCastle;  how  the  earl's 
eldest  son  was  likewise  slain;  how  young  Kennc  now  became  king  of 
Bute,  and  vowed  vengeance  against  the  slayer  of  his  brother  and  father, 
and  finally,  how  this  vow  was  kept,  when  Kenric  and  the  murderous 
sea-rover  met  at  midnight  and  ended  their  feud  in  one  last  great  fight. 

THE  PILOTS  OF  POMONA 

A  Story  of  the  Orkney  Islands.  With  8  full-page  Illustrations 
by  JOHN  LEIGHTON,  and  a  Map.  Crown  8vo,  olivine  edges, 
$1.50. 

Halcro  Ericson,  the  hero,  happens  upon  many  exciting  adventures 
and  hard  experiences,  through  which  he  carries  himself  with  quiet 
courage.  The  story  gives  a  vivid  presentation  of  life  in  these  far 
northern  islands. 


BOOKS   FOR    YOUNG   PEOPLE 


AN  ANIMAL  ABC 

A  Humorous  Alphabet.  By  H.  B.  NETLSON.  4to,  $1.00.  With 
24  pages  of  Illustrations  in  two  colors  and  24  pages  in 
black  and  white.  Verses  by  "THE  COCKIOLLY  BIRD." 

A  remarkably  attractive  collection  of  spirited  and  original  animal 
pictures  by  an  artist  who  excels  in  this  line. 

ROUNDABOUT  RHYMES 

Written  and  pictured  by  MRS.  PERCY  DEARMER.  Beautifully 
printed.  With  20  full-page  plates  in  colors.  Small  4to, 
$1.00. 

This  book  is  unusually  attractive  in  form,  and  is  admirably  suited 
to  the  youngest  readers.  The  pictures,  together  with  the  delightful 
series  of  half  playful  rhymes  accompanying  them,  have  a  quaint  nur- 
sery air  that  will  render  them  particularly  dear  to  a  child's  heart. 

THE  LITTLE  BROWNS 

By  MABEL  E.  WOLTON.  With  80  Illustrations  by  H.  M. 
BROCK,  and  a  Colored  Frontispiece.  Square  8vo,  gilt  edges, 
$2.00. 

The  Little  Browns  are  a  delightful  set  of  youngsters,  more  than 
usually  individual  and  self-reliant.  During  their  parents'  absence  they 
extend  hospitality  to  a  stranger,  under  the  belief  that  he  is  their  uncle 
from  Australia.  The  supposed  uncle  is  really  a  burglar,  and  by  their 
courage  and  childish  resources  they  outwit  him.  The  Little  Browns  is 
the  work  of  a  true  child-lover. 


BY   CARTON    MOORE    PARK 

A  BOOK  OF  BIRDS 

Profusely  Illustrated  with  full-page  plates,  vignettes,  cover 
design,  etc.,  etc.  Demy  4to  (13  inches  by  10  inches),  $2.00. 

No  artist  has  caught  more  thoroughly  the  individualities  of  the  bird 
world,  or  has  reproduced  them  with  mure  lifelike  vivacity  and  charm. 

AN  ALPHABET  OF  ANIMALS 

With  26  full -page  Plates,  a  large  number  of  vignettes,  and 
cover  design  by  CARTON"  MOOUE  PARK.  Demy  4to  (13 
inches  by  10  incbes),  $2.00. 

A  strikingly  artistic  alphabet  book.  Mr.  Park's  drawings  are  marked 
by  extraordinary  boldness  and  vigor  of  treatment ;  but  they  display  in 
addition  a  rare  appreciation  of  the  subtler  characteristics  of  the  animal 
world.  Of  these  individual  traits  Mr.  Park  has  an  intuitive  perception, 
and  his  pictures  may  almost  be  said  to  live  upon  the  page. 


BOOKS  FOR  YOUNG   PEOPLE 


BY   DR.   GORDON   STABLES 


COURAGE   TRUE   HEART 

A  Brilliant  New  Story  of  Danger  and  Daring  on  the  Sea.  By 
GORDON  STABLES,  M.D.,  C.Al.  Illustrated,  crown  8vo, 
$1.25. 

A   NAVAL   CADET 

A  Story  of  Adventure  by  Sea.  By  GORDON  STABLES,  M.D., 
C.M.  Illustrated,  crown  8vo,  $1.25. 

FOR   LIFE   AND  LIBERTY 

A  Story  of  Battle  by  Land  and  Sea.  By  GORDON  STABLES, 
M.D.,  C.M.  With  8  full-page  Illustrations  by  SIDNEY 
PAGET.  12  mo,  $1.50. 

The  story  of  an  English  boy  who  runs  from  home  and  joins  the  South- 
ern army  in  the  late  Civil  War.  His  chum  enters  the  navy,  and  their 
various  adventures  are  set  forth  with  great  vigor  and  interest. 

TO   GREENLAND  AND   THE   POLE 

A  Story  of  Adventure  in  the  Arctic  Regions.  By  GORDON 
STABLES,  M.D.,  C.M.  With  8  full-page  Illustrations  by 
G.  C.  HINDLEY,  and  a  map.  Crown  8vo,  olivine  edges, 
$1.50. 

The  author  is  himself  an  old  Arctic  voyager,  and  he  deals  with  deer- 
hunting  in  Norway,  sealing  in  the  Arctic  Seas,  bear-stalking  on  the 
ice-floes,  the  hardships  of  a  journey  across  Greenland,  and  a  successful 
voyage  to  the  back  of  the  North  Pole. 

WESTWARD  WITH   COLUMBUS 

By  GORDON  STABLES,  M.D.,  C.M.  With  8  full -page  Illustra- 
tions by  ALFRED  PEARSE.  Crown  8vo,  olivine  edges,  $1.50. 

The  hero  of  this  story  is  Columbus  himself.  His  career  is  traced 
from  boyhood  onwai'd  through  the  many  hazardous  enterprises  in  which 
he  was  at  various  times  engaged.  The  narrative  deals  chiefly,  however, 
with  the  great  naval  venture  which  resulted  in  the  discovery  of  the 
American  continent. 

'TWIXT  SCHOOL  AND  COLLEGE 

A  Tale  of  Self-reliance.  By  GORDON  STABLES,  M.D.,  C.M. 
With  8  full-page  Illustrations  by  W.  PARKINSON.  Crown 
8vo,  olivine  edges,  $1.50. 


BOOKS  FOR    YOUXG    PEOPLE 


IN   THE   DICTATOR'S   GRIP 

By  JOHN  SAMSON.     Illustrated.     12mo,  $1.25 

A  vigorous  and  telling  story  of  an  Englishman's  adventures  in  the 
Pampas  and  Paraguay. 

JONES   THE   MYSTERIOUS 

By    CHARLES    EDWARDES.     With  3  Illustrations    by    HAROLD 
COPPING.     12mo,  75  cts. 

A  bright  story  of  English  schoolboy  life,  with  mysterious  happenings 
to  the  hero,  who  has  a  secret  and  weird  "  power,"  bestowed  upon  him 
by  his  East  Indian  bearer. 

THE    HISTORY    OF   GUTTA-PERCHA 
WILLIE 

The  Working  Genius.  By  GEORGE  MACDONALD.  With  8  Illus- 
trations by  ARTHUR  HUGHES.  !New  Edition.  12mo,  75  cts. 

WYNPORT  COLLEGE 

A  Story  of  School  Life.  By  FREDERICK  HARRISON.  With  8 
Illustrations  by  HAROLD  COPPINU.  Crown  8vo,  $1.50. 

The  hero  and  his  chums  differ  as  widely  in  character  as  in  personal 
appearance.  We  have  Patrick  O'Fflahertie,  the  good-natured  Irish 
boy  ;  Jack  Brookes,  the  irrepressible  humorist ;  Davie  Jackson,  the 
true-hearted  little  lad  on  whose  haps  and  mishaps  the  plot  to  a  great 
extent  turns ;  and  the  hero  himself. 

THE  ROVER'S  SECRET 

A  Tale  of  the  Pirate  Cays  and  Lagoons  of  Cuba.  By  HARRY 
COLLINGWOOD.  With  6  full-page  Illustrations  by  W.  C. 
SYMONS.  Crown  8vo,  $1.00. 

The  hero  of  "The  Rover's  Secret,'1  a  young  officer  of  the  British 
navy,  narrates  his  peculiar  experiences  in  childhood  and  his  subsequent 
perils  and  achivements. 

THE   PIRATE   ISLAND 

A  Story  of  the  South  Pacific.  By  HARRY  COLLTNGWOOD. 
Illustrated  by  8  full-page  Pictures  by  C.  J.  STANILAND  and 
J.  R.  WELLS.  Olivine  edges.  Crown  8vo,  $1.50. 

This  story  details  the  adventures  of  a  lad  who  was  found  in  his  in- 
fancy on  board  a  wreck,  and  is  adopted  by  a  fisherman.  Going  to  sea, 
he  forms  one  of  a  party  who,  after  being  burned  out  of  their  ship, 
are  picked  up  by  a  pirate  brig  and  taken  to  the  "  Pirate  Island,"  where 
they  have  many  thrilling  adventures. 


BOOKS   FOR    TO  UNO    PEOPLE 


BY    GEORGE    MANVILLE    FENN 

DICK   O'   THE   FENS 

A  Romance  of  the  Great  East  Swamp.  With  12  full  page 
Illustrations  by  FRANK  DADD.  Crown  8vo,  $1.50. 

BROWNSMITH'S    BOY 

With  6  page  Illustrations.     Crown,  8vo,  $1.00. 

YUSSUF    THE    GUIDE 

Being  the  Strange  Story  of  Travels  in  Asia  Minor.  With  8  full- 
page  Illustrations.  Crown  8vo,  $1.00. 

THE   GOLDEN   MAGNET 

A  Tale  of  the  Land  of  the  Incas.  With  12  full-page  pictures  by 
GORDON  BROWNE.  Crown  8vo,  $1.50. 

NAT   THE   NATURALIST 

A  Boy's  Adventures  in  the  Eastern  Sens.  Illustrated  by  8  full- 
page  Pictures  by  GEORGE  BROWNE.  Crown,  8vo,  olivine 
edges,  $1.50. 

QUICKSILVER 

Or,  A  Boy  with  no  Skid  to  his  Wheel.  With  10  full-page  Illus- 
trations by  FRANK  DADD.  Crown  8vo,  $1.25. 

DEVON    BOYS 

A  Tale  of  the  North  Shore.  With  12  full-page  Illustrations  by 
GORDON  BROWNE.  Crown  8vo,  $1.50. 

MOTHER   CAREY'S  CHICKEN 

Her  Voyage  to  the  Unknown  Isle.  With  8  full  page  Illustra- 
tions. Crown  8vo,  $1.00. 

BUNYIP  LAND 

The  Story  of  a  Wild  Journey  in  New  Guinea.  With  6  full-page 
Illustrations  by  GORDON  BROWNE.  Crown  8vo,  $1.25. 

IN  THE   KING'S   NAME 

Or,  The  Cruise  of  the  Kestrel  Illustrated  by  12  full-page  Pic- 
tures by  GORDON  BROWNE.  Crown  8vo,  $1.50. 

MENHARDOC 

A  Story  of  Cornish  Nets  and  Mines.  With  6  full-page  Illustra- 
tions by  C.  J.  STANILAND.  Crown  8vo,  $1.00. 

PATIENCE   WINS 

Or,  War  in  the  Works.  With  6  full-page  Illustrations.  Crown 
8vo,  $1.00. 


BOOKS  FOR    YOUNG   PEOPLE 


BY  HARRY  COLLINGWOOD 
THE    LOG    OF    A    PRIVATEERSMAN 

With  12  full-page  Illustrations  by  W.   RAINEY,   R.I.    Crown 
8vo,  oli vine  edges,  $1.50. 

In  the  war  between  Napoleon  and  the  British,  many  privateers  were 
sent  out  from  England  to  seize  and  destroy  the  French  merchant  vessels. 
On  one  of  these  George  Bo  wen  went  as  second  mate.  Long  distance 
duels  at  sea,  tights  at  close  quarters,  fierce  boarding  attacks,  capture  and 
recapture,  flight  and  pursuit,  storm  and  wreck,  fire  at  sea  and  days  with 
out  food  or  water  in  a  small  boat  on  the  ocean,  are  some  of  the  many 
thrilling  experiences  our  hero  passed  through. 


BY  PROFESSOR  A.  J.  CHURCH 
LORDS    OF    THE    WORLD 

A   story  of  the  Fall  of  Carthage  and  Corinth.     By  Professor 
A.  J.  CHURCH.     With  12  full-page  Illustrations  by  RALPH 
PEACOOK.     Crown  8vo,  olivine  edges  $1.50. 
The  scene  of  this  story  centres  in  ihe  destruction  of  Carthage  by  the 
Romans.    The  young  hero  is  captured  by  the  Romans,  but  wearing  the 
dress  of  his  twin  sister,  escapes  death.     Entering  the  army  of  Carthage 
he  is  in  the  thick  of  the  long  conflict  and  passes  through  many  thrilling 
adventures.  

BYS   BARING-GOULD 
GRETTIR    THE    OUTLAW 

A    story  of  Iceland.      By  S.    BARING-GOULD.     With  10  full- 
page    Illustrations  by   M.   ZENO  DIEMER,  and  a    Colored 
Map.     Crown  8vo,  olivine  edges,  $1.50. 
No  boy  will  be  able  to  withstand  the  magic  of  such  scenes  as  the  fight 

of  Grettir  with  twelve  bearserks  and  the  wrestle  with  Karr  the  Old  in 

the  chamber  of  the  dead. 


THE   MISSING  MERCHANTMAN 

By  HARRY  COLLINGWOOD.  With  6  full  page  pictures  by  W. 
H.  OVEREND.  Crown  8vo,  $1.00. 

A  fine  Australian  clipper  is  seized  by  the  crew;  the  passengers  are 
landed  on  one  deserted  island,  the  captain  and  a  junior  officer  on  another, 
and  the  young  hero  of  the  story  is  kept  on  board  to  navigate  the  ship, 
which  the  mutineers  refit  as  a  private  vessel. 

THE    CONGO   ROVERS 

A  Tale  of  the  Slave  Squadron.  By  HARRY  COLLINGWOOD. 
With  8  full-page  Illustrations  by  J.  SCHONBERG.  Crown 
8vo,  olivine  edges,  $1.50. 

FIGHTING  THE  MATABELE 

By  J.  CHALMERS.  With  6  Illustrations  by  STANLEY  L.  WOOD. 
12mo,  $1.35. 


BOOKS  FOR  YOUNG  PEOPLE 


GOOD  BOOKS  FOR  GIRLS 


THREE   FAIR   MAIDS 

Or,  The  Burkes  of  Denymore.  By  KATHARINE  TYNAN.  With 
12  Illustrations  by  G.  D.  HAMMOND.  Crown  8vo,  olivine 
edges,  $1.50. 

A  story  of  Irish  country  life.  The  three  fair  maids  are  the  daughters 
of  an  impoverished  Irish  lady.  Sir  Jasper's  disinheritance  of  their 
father  obliged  them  to  give  xip  their  great  house,  but  the  family 
is  ultimately  reconciled  with  Uncle  Peter,  who  makes  Elizabeth  his 
heiress. 

THREE   BRIGHT   GIRLS 

A  Story  of  Chance  and  Mischance.     By  ANNIE  E.  ARMSTRONG. 

With  6  full-page  Illustrations  by  W.    PARKINSON.     Crown 

8vo,  $1.25. 

"Among  many  good  stories  for  girls  this  is  undoubtedly  one  of  the 
very  best.'' — Teachers'  Aid. 

A   NEWNHAM    FRIENDSHIP 

By  ALICE  STRONACH.  With  6  Illustrations  by  HAROLD  COPPING. 
Crown  8vo,  $1.25. 

A  description  of  life  at  Newnham  College.  Men  students  play  their 
part  in  the  story,  and  the  closing  chapters  describe  the  work  of  some 
of  the  girls  as  "  social  settlers  "  in  the  east  of  London. 

THE   LADY  ISOBEL 

A  Story  for  Girls.  By  ELIZA  F.  POLLARD.  With  4  Illustra- 
tions by  W.  FULTON  BROWN.  12mo,  $1.00. 

A  Tale  of  the  Scottish  Covenanters. 

A   GIRL   OF   TO-DAY 

By  ELLINOR  DAVENPORT  ADAMS.  With  6  page  Illustrations  by 
GERTRUDE  DEMAIN  HAMMOND,  R.I.  Crown  8vo,  $1.25. 

The  boys  and  girls  of  Woodend  band  themselves  together,  and  that 
they  have  plenty  of  fun  is  seen  in  the  shopping  expedition  to  purchase 
stores  for  their  society,  and  in  the  successful  Christmas  entertainment. 
Max  Brenton's  fight  with  Joe  Baker,  the  bully,  shows  that  their  work 
has  its  serious  side  as  well. 

CYNTHIA'S  BONNET  SHOP 

By  ROSA  MULHOLLAND  (Lady  Gilbert).  With  8  Illustrations  by 
C.  D.  HAMMOND,  R.I.  Crown  8vo,  olivine  edges,  $1.50. 

Cynthia,  one  of  three  charming,  lively  sisters  of  an  impoverished 
Connaught  family,  desires  to  make  money  for  the  sake  of  her  delicate 
mother.  If  she  had  only  capital  she  would  open  a  millinery  establish- 


ment in  London.    The  capital  is  mysteriously  supplied,  and  the  secret 
benefactor  is  kept  to  the  end. 


of  the  unknown 


BOOKS  FOR    YOUNG    PEOPLE 


GOOD  BOOKS  FOR  GIRLS 


BY   ETHEL   F.   MEDDLE 

A  MYSTERY  OF  ST.   RULES 

$1.50. 

An  absorbing  novel  for  girls,  the  action  of  which  revolves  round  the 
mystery  of  a  stolen  diamond,  but  is  full  of  delightful  character 
sketches,  and  the  background  of  the  gray  old  city  is  charmingly  filled 
in.  The  mystery  is  well  maintained,  and  the  love  interest  is  strong 
to  the  end. 

AN  ORIGINAL  GIRL 

Illustrated.     12mo,  $1.50. 

A  tale  of  London  and  English  country  life.  The  author  is  a  favorite 
writer  for  girls,  whose  previous  books  have  been  unusually  popular. 


THINGS  WILL  TAKE  A  TURN 

By  BEATRICE  HARBADEN,  Author  of  "Ships  that  Pass  in  the 
Night."  Illustrated.  12mo,  $1.00. 

It  is  the  story  of  a  sunny-hearted  child,  Rosebud,  who  assists  her 
grandfather  in  his  dusty,  second-hand  bookshop. 

LAUGH  AND  LEARN 

The  Easiest  Book  of  Nursery  Lessons  and  Nursery  Games.  By 
JENNETT  HUMPHREYS.  Charmingly  Illustrated.  Square 
8vo,  $1.25. 

"One  of  the  best  books  of  the  kind  imaginable,  full  of  practical 
teachings  in  word  and  picture,  and  helping  the  little  ones  pleasantly 
along  a  right  royal  road  to  learning." — Graphic. 

ADVENTURES   IN   TOYLAND 

By  EDITH  KING  HALL.  With  8  Colored  Plates  and  72  other 
Illustrations  by  ALICE  B.  WOOUWAKD.  Square  8vo,  $3.00. 

The  story  of  what  a  little  girl  heard  and  saw  in  a  toy  shop. 

NELL'S    SCHOOL    DAYS 

A  Story  of  Town  and  Country.  By  H.  P.  GETHEN.  With  4 
Illustrations,  $1.00. 

VIOLET   VEREKER'S   VANITY 

By  ANNIK  E.  ARMSTRONG.  With  6  Illustrations  by  G.  D.  HAM- 
MOND. Crown  8vo,  $1.25. 


BOOKS  FOR  70 UNO-    PEOPLE 


GOOD  BOOKS  FOR  GIRLS 

BY  ALICE   CORKRAN 
DOWN  THE  SNOW  STAIRS 

Or,  From  Good-night  to  Good-morning.  With  character  Illus- 
trations by  GORDON  BROWNE.  Square  crown  8vo,  olivine 
edges,  $1.25. 

"  A  gem  of  the  first  water,  bearing  upon  every  one  of  its  pages  the 
signet  mark  of  genius.  .  .  .  All  is  told  with  such  simplicity  and 
perfect  naturalness  that  the  dream  appears  to  be  a  solid  reality.  It  is 
indeed  a  little  Pilgrim's  Progress." — Christian  Leader. 

MARGERY  MERTON'S  GIRLHOOD 

With  6  full-page  Illustrations  by  GORDON  BROWNE.  Crown 
8vo,  $1.25. 

The  experience  of  an  orphan  girl  who  in  infancy  is  left  by  her  father, 
an  officer  in  India,  to  the  care  of  an  elderly  aunt  residing  near  Paris. 


A  VERY  ODD   GIRL 

Life  at  the  Gabled  Farm.     By  ANNIE  E.  ARMSTRONG.     With  6 
full-page  Illustrations  by  8.  T.  DADD.     Crown,  $1.25. 

HER    FRIEND    AND    MINE 

A  Story  of  Two  Sisters.     By  FLORENCE  COOMBE.     With  3 
Illustrations  by  WM.  RAINEY.     12mo,  $1.00. 

THE    EAGLE'S    NEST 

By  S.  E.  CARTWRIGHT.     With  3  Illustrations  by  WM.  RAINEY. 
12mo,  $1.00. 

MY    FRIEND    KATHLEEN 

By  JENNIE    CHAPPELL.      With  4  Illustrations   by   JOHN    H. 
BACON.     12mo,  $1.00. 

A    DAUGHTER    OF    ERIN 

By  VIOLET  G.  FINNY.     With  4  Illustrations.     Price,  $1.00. 

CHARLES  SCRIBNER'S  SONS 

153-7  Fifth  Avenue,  New  York 


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